Evaluating the transport, health and economic impacts of new urban cycling infrastructure in Sydney, Australia - protocol paper.

Science.gov (United States)

Rissel, Chris; Greaves, Stephen; Wen, Li Ming; Capon, Anthony; Crane, Melanie; Standen, Chris

2013-10-17

There are repeated calls to build better cycling paths in Australian cities if the proportion of people cycling is to increase. Yet the full range of transport, health, environmental and economic impacts of new cycling infrastructure and the extent to which observed changes are sustained is not well understood. The City of Sydney is currently building a new bicycle network, which includes a new bicycle path separated from road traffic in the south Sydney area. This protocol paper describes a comprehensive method to evaluate this new cycling infrastructure. A cohort of residents within two kilometres of the new bicycle path will be surveyed at baseline before a new section of bicycle path is built, and again 12 and 24 months later to assess changes in travel behaviour, sense of community, quality of life and health behaviours. Residents in a comparable area of Sydney that will not get a new separated bike path will act as a comparison group. At baseline a sub-set of residents who volunteer will also take a small GPS device with them for one week to assess travel behaviour. This research should contribute to the advancement in evaluation and appraisal methods for cycling projects.

24 CFR 1007.20 - Eligible housing.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 4 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Eligible housing. 1007.20 Section 1007.20 Housing and Urban Development Regulations Relating to Housing and Urban Development (Continued) OFFICE OF ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR PUBLIC AND INDIAN HOUSING, DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT...

Epigenetic Regulation of Vitamin D 24-Hydroxylase/CYP24A1 in Human Prostate Cancer

Science.gov (United States)

Luo, Wei; Karpf, Adam R.; Deeb, Kristin K.; Muindi, Josephia R.; Morrison, Carl D.; Johnson, Candace S.; Trump, Donald L.

2010-01-01

Calcitriol, a regulator of calcium homeostasis with antitumor properties, is degraded by the product of the CYP24A1 gene which is downregulated in human prostate cancer by unknown mechanisms. We found that CYP24A1 expression is inversely correlated with promoter DNA methylation in prostate cancer cell lines. Treatment with the DNA methyltransferase inhibitor 5-aza-2′-deoxycytidine (DAC) activates CYP24A1 expression in prostate cancer cells. In vitro methylation of the CYP24A1 promoter represses its promoter activity. Furthermore, inhibition of histone deacetylases by trichostatin A (TSA) enhances the expression of CYP24A1 in prostate cancer cells. ChIP-qPCR reveals that specific histone modifications are associated with the CYP24A1 promoter region. Treatment with TSA increases H3K9ac and H3K4me2 and simultaneously decreases H3K9me2 at the CYP24A1 promoter. ChIP-qPCR assay reveals that treatment with DAC and TSA increases the recruitment of VDR to the CYP24A1 promoter. RT-PCR analysis of paired human prostate samples reveals that CYP24A1 expression is down-regulated in prostate malignant lesions compared to adjacent histologically benign lesions. Bisulfite pyrosequencing shows that CYP24A1 gene is hypermethylated in malignant lesions compared to matched benign lesions. Our findings indicate that repression of CYP24A1 gene expression in human prostate cancer cells is mediated in part by promoter DNA methylation and repressive histone modifications. PMID:20587525

Impact of urban sprawl on overweight, obesity, and physical activity in Sydney, Australia.

Science.gov (United States)

Garden, Frances L; Jalaludin, Bin B

2009-01-01

Obesity and inadequate physical activity are major risk factors for many diseases. The built environment plays an important role in influencing participation in physical activity. We aimed to determine whether urban sprawl in Sydney, Australia is associated with overweight/obesity and levels of physical activity. We used a cross-sectional multilevel study design to relate urban sprawl (based on population density) measured at an area level to overweight/obesity and levels of physical activity measured at an individual level whilst controlling for individual and area level covariates in metropolitan Sydney. Individual level data were obtained from the 2002 and 2003 New South Wales Population Health Survey. We had information on 7,290 respondents. The mean population density was 2,168 persons per square kilometer (standard deviation=1,741, range=218-7,045). After controlling for individual and area level covariates, for an inter-quartile increase in sprawl, the odds of being overweight was 1.26 (95% CI=1.10-1.44), the odds of being obese was 1.47 (95% CI=1.24-1.75), the odds of inadequate physical activity was 1.38 (95% CI=1.21-1.57), and the odds of not spending any time walking during the past week was 1.58 (95% CI=1.28-1.93). Living in more sprawling suburbs increases the risk of overweight/obesity and inadequate physical activity despite the relatively low levels of urban sprawl in metropolitan Sydney. Modifications to the urban environment to increase physical activity may be worthwhile.

Long-term outcomes from dose-escalated image-guided intensity-modulated radiotherapy with androgen deprivation: encouraging results for intermediate- and high-risk prostate cancer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wilcox SW

2014-08-01

Full Text Available Shea W Wilcox,1,4 Noel J Aherne,2,4 Linus C Benjamin,1 Bosco Wu,1 Thomaz de Campos Silva,3 Craig S McLachlan,4 Michael J McKay,3,5 Andrew J Last,1 Thomas P Shakespeare1–4 1North Coast Cancer Institute, Port Macquarie, NSW, Australia; 2North Coast Cancer Institute, Coffs Harbour, NSW, Australia; 3North Coast Cancer Institute, Lismore, NSW, Australia; 4The University of New South Wales, Rural Clinical School, Sydney, NSW, Australia; 5The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia Purpose: Dose-escalated (DE radiotherapy in the setting of localized prostate cancer has been shown to improve biochemical disease-free survival (bDFS in several studies. In the same group of patients, androgen deprivation therapy (ADT has been shown to confer a survival benefit when combined with radiotherapy doses of up to 70 Gy; however, there is currently little long-term data on patients who have received high-dose intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT with ADT. We report the long-term outcomes in a large cohort of patients treated with the combination of DE image-guided IMRT (IG-IMRT and ADT. Methods and materials: Patients with localized prostate cancer were identified from a centralized database across an integrated cancer center. All patients received DE IG-IMRT, combined with ADT, and had a minimum follow up of 12 months post-radiotherapy. All relapse and toxicity data were collected prospectively. Actuarial bDFS, metastasis-free survival, prostate cancer-specific survival, and multivariate analyses were calculated using the SPSS v20.0 statistical package. Results: Seven hundred and eighty-two eligible patients were identified with a median follow up of 46 months. Overall, 4.3% of patients relapsed, 2.0% developed distant metastases, and 0.6% died from metastatic prostate cancer. At 5-years, bDFS was 88%, metastasis-free survival was 95%, and prostate cancer-specific survival was 98%. Five-year grade 2 genitourinary and gastrointestinal toxicity was 2

24 CFR 55.20 - Decision making process.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Decision making process. 55.20 Section 55.20 Housing and Urban Development Office of the Secretary, Department of Housing and Urban Development FLOODPLAIN MANAGEMENT Procedures for Making Determinations on Floodplain Management § 55.20 Decision making process. The decision making...

20 CFR 606.24 - Application for avoidance.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... respect to which a State requests avoidance of tax credit reduction. The Governor is required to notify... 20 Employees' Benefits 3 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Application for avoidance. 606.24 Section 606.24 Employees' Benefits EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR TAX CREDITS UNDER...

Pieces of a thousand stories: repatriation of the history of Aboriginal Sydney

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Peter Read

2010-09-01

Full Text Available The on-line project A History of Aboriginal Sydney, based at the University of Sydney, takes existing educational and Australian Indigenous digital initiatives in a new direction. By dividing Sydney into six geographical areas, we are creating a knowledge base of post-invasion Aboriginal history, incorporating different forms of tagging, timeline and digital mapping to provide multiple paths to information in text, videos, still images and, in the future, three dimensional reconstructions of former living areas. After eighteen months research we are maintaining a balance between unearthing new and forgotten material, incorporating it into our developing database, and exploring the potential of digital mapping, animation and 3D historical reconstruction for educational and research purposes. With close Indigenous consultation, especially the Aboriginal Educational Consultative Groups, we hope to digitally construct the Aboriginal history of Sydney and return it to the people who have been deprived of so much of their history for so long.

Sydney ja selle maaliline naabrus / Anneli Ira

Index Scriptorium Estoniae

Ira, Anneli

2013-01-01

Sydney ümbrusesse jäävatest looduslikest vaatamisväärsustest: Royal National Park, Grand Pacific Drive, Sinimäed, Jenola koopad; austraalia köögist, majutuse ning transpordi alaseid nõuandeid jne

The health benefits of reducing air pollution in Sydney, Australia.

Science.gov (United States)

Broome, Richard A; Fann, Neal; Cristina, Tina J Navin; Fulcher, Charles; Duc, Hiep; Morgan, Geoffrey G

2015-11-01

Among industrialised countries, fine particle (PM2.5) and ozone levels in the Sydney metropolitan area of Australia are relatively low. Annual mean PM2.5 levels have historically remained below 8 μg/m(3) while warm season (November-March) ozone levels occasionally exceed the Australian guideline value of 0.10 ppm (daily 1 h max). Yet, these levels are still below those seen in the United States and Europe. This analysis focuses on two related questions: (1) what is the public health burden associated with air pollution in Sydney; and (2) to what extent would reducing air pollution reduce the number of hospital admissions, premature deaths and number of years of life lost (YLL)? We addressed these questions by applying a damage function approach to Sydney population, health, PM2.5 and ozone data for 2007 within the BenMAP-CE software tool to estimate health impacts and economic benefits. We found that 430 premature deaths (90% CI: 310-540) and 5800 YLL (95% CI: 3900-7600) are attributable to 2007 levels of PM2.5 (about 2% of total deaths and 1.8% of YLL in 2007). We also estimate about 630 (95% CI: 410-840) respiratory and cardiovascular hospital admissions attributable to 2007 PM2.5 and ozone exposures. Reducing air pollution levels by even a small amount will yield a range of health benefits. Reducing 2007 PM2.5 exposure in Sydney by 10% would, over 10 years, result in about 650 (95% CI: 430-850) fewer premature deaths, a gain of 3500 (95% CI: 2300-4600) life-years and about 700 (95% CI: 450-930) fewer respiratory and cardiovascular hospital visits. These results suggest that substantial health benefits are attainable in Sydney with even modest reductions in air pollution. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

24 CFR 110.20 - Availability of posters.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Availability of posters. 110.20... HOUSING FAIR HOUSING POSTER Requirements for Display of Posters § 110.20 Availability of posters. All persons subject to this part may obtain fair housing posters from the Department's regional and area...

CD24 negative lung cancer cells, possessing partial cancer stem cell properties, cannot be considered as cancer stem cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Haineng; Mu, Jiasheng; Xiao, Jing; Wu, Xiangsong; Li, Maolan; Liu, Tianrun; Liu, Xinyuan

2016-01-01

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) play vital role in lung cancer progression, resistance, metastasis and relapse. Identifying lung CSCs makers for lung CSCs targeting researches are critical for lung cancer therapy. In this study, utilizing previous identified lung CSCs as model, we compared the expression of CD24, CD133 and CD44 between CSCs and non-stem cancer cells. Increased ratio of CD24- cells were found in CSCs. CD24- cells were then sorted by flow cytometry and their proliferative ability, chemo-resistance property and in vivo tumor formation abilities were detected. A549 CD24- cells formed smaller colonies, slower proliferated in comparison to A549 CD24+ cells. Besides, A549 CD24- exhibited stronger resistance to chemotherapy drug. However, A549 CD24- didn't exert any stronger tumor formation ability in vivo, which is the gold standard of CSCs. These results showed that CD24- A549 cells showed some properties of CSCs but not actually CSCs. This study provides evidence that CD24 cannot be considered as lung CSCs marker.

24 CFR 203.20 - Agreed interest rate.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Agreed interest rate. 203.20... § 203.20 Agreed interest rate. (a) The mortgage shall bear interest at the rate agreed upon by the mortgagee and the mortgagor. (b) Interest shall be payable in monthly installments on the principal amount...

Clinical utility of ramucirumab in advanced gastric cancer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chan MMK

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Matthew MK Chan,1,2 Katrin M Sjoquist,1,3 John R Zalcberg4 1NHMRC Clinical Trials Centre, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia; 2Department of Medical Oncology, Central Coast Cancer Centre, Gosford Hospital, Gosford, NSW, Australia; 3Cancer Care Centre, St George Hospital, Sydney, NSW, Australia; 4School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia Abstract: Gastric cancer is currently the third most common cause of cancer deaths worldwide. Prognosis remains poor with most patients presenting with advanced or metastatic disease. A better understanding of angiogenesis has led to the investigation of drugs that inhibit the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF pathway including anti-VEGF antibody therapy (eg, bevacizumab, inhibitors of angiogenic receptor tyrosine kinases (eg, sunitinib, sorafenib, apatinib, regorafenib, and inhibitors of vascular endothelial growth factor receptors (VEGFRs (eg, ramucirumab. Ramucirumab, a VEGFR-2 inhibitor, is the first anti-angiogenic agent approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for use in the treatment of advanced gastric cancers. This review will focus on the clinical utility and potential use of ramucirumab in advanced gastric cancer. Keywords: ramucirumab, IMC-1121B, gastric cancer, vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2, angiogenesis, targeted therapy

Warragamba. Sydney, Australia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Seshadri, B.

1959-02-01

Full Text Available El pantano de Warragamba, cuyo objeto es el de producir energía hidroeléctrica en su primera fase de explotación y solamente agua potable cuando las necesidades de ésta así lo requieran, se haya situado en las proximidades de Sydney (Australia. Su extensa cuenca está constituida por una serie de ríos en cuyas cabeceras se han construido diques de retención, que no solamente almacenan grandes cantidades de agua, sino que sirven parcialmente para la regularización de caudales, función de gran interés en esta zona donde las avenidas, seguidas de extensas inundaciones, se hacen sentir con relativa frecuencia.

Climate change, air pollution and human health in Sydney, Australia: A review of the literature

Science.gov (United States)

Dean, Annika; Green, Donna

2018-05-01

Sydney is Australia’s largest city and is growing rapidly. Although Sydney’s air quality is relatively good compared to the major cities in many industrialised countries, particulate matter (PM) and ozone (O3) occasionally exceed the national health standards and are the cause of premature mortalities and hospital admissions. Numerous studies from overseas (e.g. North America and continental Europe) suggest that climate change may impact air quality to the detriment of human health. There is limited knowledge about how climate change may impact air quality in Sydney. This study reviews the available literature on the impacts of climate change on air quality related health impacts in Sydney to identify knowledge and research gaps. Where no studies are available for Sydney, it draws on relevant studies from other Australian cities and overseas. Our findings summarise what is known about how climate change may impact air quality in Sydney and where research gaps exist. This approach can facilitate research agendas, policies and planning strategies that mitigate public health impacts and tackle climate change and air pollution in a coordinated way.

Epidemiology and geographical distribution of enteric protozoan infections in Sydney, Australia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stephanie Fletcher

2014-07-01

Full Text Available Background. Enteric protozoa are associated with diarrhoeal illnesses in humans; however there are no recent studies on their epidemiology and geographical distribution in Australia. This study describes the epidemiology of enteric protozoa in the state of New South Wales and incorporates spatial analysis to describe their distribution. Design and methods. Laboratory and clinical records from four public hospitals in Sydney for 910 patients, who tested positive for enteric protozoa over the period January 2007-December 2010, were identified, examined and analysed. We selected 580 cases which had residence post code data available, enabling us to examine the geographic distribution of patients, and reviewed the clinical data of 252 patients to examine possible links between protozoa, demographic and clinical features. Results. Frequently detected protozoa were Blastocystis spp. (57%, Giardia intestinalis (27% and Dientamoeba fragilis (12%. The age distribution showed that the prevalence of protozoa decreased with age up to 24 years but increasing with age from 25 years onwards. The geographic provenance of the patients indicates that the majority of cases of Blastocystis (53.1% are clustered in and around the Sydney City Business District, while pockets of giardiasis were identified in regional/rural areas. The distribution of cases suggests higher risk of protozoan infection may exist for some communities. Conclusions. These findings provide useful information for policy makers to design and tailor interventions to target high risk communities. Follow-up investigation into the risk factors for giardiasis in regional/rural area is needed.

Creating a human brain proteome atlas--14th HUPO BPP workshop September 20-21, 2010, Sydney, Australia.

Science.gov (United States)

Gröttrup, Bernd; Marcus, Katrin; Grinberg, Lea T; Lee, Sang K; Meyer, Helmut E; Park, Young M

2011-08-01

The HUPO Brain Proteome Project (HUPO BPP) held its 14th workshop during the HUPO 9th Annual World Congress in Sydney, Australia. The principal aim of this project is to discover prognostic and diagnostic biomarkers associated with neurodegenerative diseases and brain aging, with the ultimate objective of obtaining a better understanding of these conditions and creating roads for the development of novel diagnostic techniques and effective treatments. The attendees came together to discuss progress in the human clinical neuroproteomics and to define the needs and guidelines required for more advanced proteomics approaches. Copyright © 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Effect of sirolimus on urinary bladder cancer T24 cell line

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Oliveira Paula A

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Sirolimus is recently reported to have antitumour effects on a large variety of cancers. The present study was performed to investigate sirolimus's ability to inhibit growth in T24 bladder cancer cells. Methods T24 bladder cancer cells were treated with various concentrations of sirolimus. MTT assay was used to evaluate the proliferation inhibitory effect on T24 cell line. The viability of T24 cell line was determined by Trypan blue exclusion analysis. Results Sirolimus inhibits the growth of bladder carcinoma cells and decreases their viability. Significant correlations were found between cell proliferation and sirolimus concentration (r = 0.830; p Conclusion Sirolimus has an anti-proliferation effect on the T24 bladder carcinoma cell line. The information from our results is useful for a better understanding sirolimus's anti-proliferative activity in the T24 bladder cancer cell line.

The 'Sydney Principles' for reducing the commercial promotion of foods and beverages to children.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Swinburn, B.; Sacks, G.; Lobstein, T.; Rigby, N.; Baur, L.A.; Brownell, K.D.; Gill, T.; Seidell, J.C.; Kumanyika, S.

2008-01-01

A set of seven principles (the 'Sydney Principles') was developed by an International Obesity Taskforce (IOTF) Working Group to guide action on changing food and beverage marketing practices that target children. The aim of the present communication is to present the Sydney Principles and report on

20 CFR 219.24 - Evidence of presumed death.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 20 Employees' Benefits 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Evidence of presumed death. 219.24 Section... EVIDENCE REQUIRED FOR PAYMENT Evidence of Age and Death § 219.24 Evidence of presumed death. When a person cannot be proven dead but evidence of death is needed, the Board may presume he or she died at a certain...

24 CFR 30.20 - Ethical violations by HUD employees.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Ethical violations by HUD employees. 30.20 Section 30.20 Housing and Urban Development Office of the Secretary, Department of Housing and Urban Development CIVIL MONEY PENALTIES: CERTAIN PROHIBITED CONDUCT Violations § 30.20 Ethical...

The Sydney University PAPA camera

Science.gov (United States)

Lawson, Peter R.

1994-04-01

The Precision Analog Photon Address (PAPA) camera is a photon-counting array detector that uses optical encoding to locate photon events on the output of a microchannel plate image intensifier. The Sydney University camera is a 256x256 pixel detector which can operate at speeds greater than 1 million photons per second and produce individual photon coordinates with a deadtime of only 300 ns. It uses a new Gray coded mask-plate which permits a simplified optical alignment and successfully guards against vignetting artifacts.

20 CFR 222.24 - Relationship as remarried widow(er).

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 20 Employees' Benefits 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Relationship as remarried widow(er). 222.24 Section 222.24 Employees' Benefits RAILROAD RETIREMENT BOARD REGULATIONS UNDER THE RAILROAD RETIREMENT ACT FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS Relationship as Divorced Spouse, Surviving Divorced Spouse, or Remarried Widow(er...

Explaining ecological clusters of maternal depression in South Western Sydney

Science.gov (United States)

2014-01-01

Background The aim of the qualitative study reported here was to: 1) explain the observed clustering of postnatal depressive symptoms in South Western Sydney; and 2) identify group-level mechanisms that would add to our understanding of the social determinants of maternal depression. Methods Critical realism provided the methodological underpinning for the study. The setting was four local government areas in South Western Sydney, Australia. Child and Family practitioners and mothers in naturally occurring mothers groups were interviewed. Results Using an open coding approach to maximise emergence of patterns and relationships we have identified seven theoretical concepts that might explain the observed spatial clustering of maternal depression. The theoretical concepts identified were: Community-level social networks; Social Capital and Social Cohesion; "Depressed community"; Access to services at the group level; Ethnic segregation and diversity; Supportive social policy; and Big business. Conclusions We postulate that these regional structural, economic, social and cultural mechanisms partially explain the pattern of maternal depression observed in families and communities within South Western Sydney. We further observe that powerful global economic and political forces are having an impact on the local situation. The challenge for policy and practice is to support mothers and their families within this adverse regional and global-economic context. PMID:24460690

Explaining ecological clusters of maternal depression in South Western Sydney.

Science.gov (United States)

Eastwood ED, John; Kemp, Lynn; Jalaludin, Bin

2014-01-24

The aim of the qualitative study reported here was to: 1) explain the observed clustering of postnatal depressive symptoms in South Western Sydney; and 2) identify group-level mechanisms that would add to our understanding of the social determinants of maternal depression. Critical realism provided the methodological underpinning for the study. The setting was four local government areas in South Western Sydney, Australia. Child and Family practitioners and mothers in naturally occurring mothers groups were interviewed. Using an open coding approach to maximise emergence of patterns and relationships we have identified seven theoretical concepts that might explain the observed spatial clustering of maternal depression. The theoretical concepts identified were: Community-level social networks; Social Capital and Social Cohesion; "Depressed community"; Access to services at the group level; Ethnic segregation and diversity; Supportive social policy; and Big business. We postulate that these regional structural, economic, social and cultural mechanisms partially explain the pattern of maternal depression observed in families and communities within South Western Sydney. We further observe that powerful global economic and political forces are having an impact on the local situation. The challenge for policy and practice is to support mothers and their families within this adverse regional and global-economic context.

Summary of macrofloral biostratigraphy of Sydney Coalfield, Nova Scotia, Canada (Carboniferous, Westphalian/Cantabrian age)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zodrow, E.L. (University College of Cape Breton, Sydney, NS (Canada). Dept. of Geology)

1989-04-01

Bell's (1938) macrofloral biostratigraphy (three floristic zones of Westphalian C and D ages) of the Sydney Coalfield is fundamentally revised. The revision is based mainly on two lines of evidence: newly collected macrofloras (sphenophylls, odontopterids, pecopterids) by the present author and K. McCandlish since 1974 from the upper part of the Sydney Coalfield in the Point Aconi area, and extension of ranges for some of Bell's records, especially {ital S. cuneifolium} and {ital Linopteris obliqua}. As interpretative results, the age of the Sydney Coalfield is considered to be Westphalian C to Cantabrian (earliest Stephanian), with the two recognized macrofloristic zones ({ital Lonchopteris eschweileriana} and {ital L. obliqua} zones) of Westphalian C, and Westphalian D and Cantabrian ages, respectively. 21 refs., 4 figs.

The Emancipation Years: Sport in the Female Colleges at the University of Sydney 1892-1958

Science.gov (United States)

Graham, Jessica; Georgakis, Steve

2015-01-01

This paper traces the development of sport in the two female residential colleges (Women's and Sancta Sophia) at the University of Sydney. While the University of Sydney male residential colleges established an intercollegiate sporting competition in 1907 (Rawson Cup), it was not until 1958 that the female residential colleges established an…

Muusikamaailm : Bremeni festival alanud. Neeme Järvi Festivalil New Yorgis. Sydney ooperimaja juba korrastamisele. Promenaadikontertidel Londonis. Kaks preemiat. Luzernis alustati müütidega / Priit Kuusk

Index Scriptorium Estoniae

Kuusk, Priit, 1938-

1999-01-01

14.08-24.10 toimuvast Bremeni festivalist Saksamaal. N.Järvi juhatas New Yorgi Lincoln Center"i festivalil festivaliorkestrit. Sydney ooperimaja kavandatatavst renoveerimisest. Londonis toimuvatest promenaadikontsertidest. UNESCO ja Rahvusvahelise Muusikanõukogu (IMC) tänavuse preemia laureaatideks valiti E. Nunes ja A. Kuazimov. 14.07-11.09 toimuvast Luzerni muusikafestivalist

Rise to SUMMIT: the Sydney University Multiple-Mirror Telescope

Science.gov (United States)

Moore, Anna M.; Davis, John

2000-07-01

The Sydney University Multiple Mirror Telescope (SUMMIT) is a medium-sized telescope designed specifically for high resolution stellar spectroscopy. Throughout the design emphasis has been placed on high efficiency at low cost. The telescope consists of four 0.46 m diameter mirrors mounted on a single welded steel frame. Specially designed mirror cells support and point each mirror, allowing accurate positioning of the images on optical fibers located at the foci of the mirrors. Four fibers convey the light to the future location of a high resolution spectrograph away from the telescope in a stable environment. An overview of the commissioning of the telescope is presented, including the guidance and automatic mirror alignment and focussing systems. SUMMIT is located alongside the Sydney University Stellar Interferometer at the Paul Wild Observatory, near Narrabri, Northern New South Wales.

Breast cancers radiation-resistance: key role of the cancer stem cells marker CD24

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bensimon, Julie

2013-01-01

This work focuses on the characterization of radiation-resistant breast cancer cells, responsible for relapse after radiotherapy. The 'Cancer Stem Cells' (CSC) theory describes a radiation-resistant cellular sub-population, with enhanced capacity to induce tumors and proliferate. In this work, we show that only the CSC marker CD24-/low defines a radiation resistant cell population, able to transmit the 'memory' of irradiation, expressed as long term genomic instability in the progeny of irradiated cells. We show that CD24 is not only a marker, but is an actor of radiation-response. So, CD24 expression controls cell proliferation in vitro and in vivo, and ROS level before and after irradiation. As a result, CD24-/low cells display enhanced radiation-resistance and genomic stability. For the first time, our results attribute a role to CD24-/low CSCs in the transmission of genomic instability. Moreover, by providing informations on tumor intrinsic radiation-sensitivity, CD24- marker could help to design new radiotherapy protocols. (author)

Neighbourhood walkability, road density and socio-economic status in Sydney, Australia.

Science.gov (United States)

Cowie, Christine T; Ding, Ding; Rolfe, Margaret I; Mayne, Darren J; Jalaludin, Bin; Bauman, Adrian; Morgan, Geoffrey G

2016-04-27

Planning and transport agencies play a vital role in influencing the design of townscapes, travel modes and travel behaviors, which in turn impact on the walkability of neighbourhoods and residents' physical activity opportunities. Optimising neighbourhood walkability is desirable in built environments, however, the population health benefits of walkability may be offset by increased exposure to traffic related air pollution. This paper describes the spatial distribution of neighbourhood walkability and weighted road density, a marker for traffic related air pollution, in Sydney, Australia. As exposure to air pollution is related to socio-economic status in some cities, this paper also examines the spatial distribution of weighted road density and walkability by socio-economic status (SES). We calculated walkability, weighted road density (as a measure of traffic related air pollution) and SES, using predefined and validated measures, for 5858 Sydney neighbourhoods, representing 3.6 million population. We overlaid tertiles of walkability and weighted road density to define "sweet-spots" (high walkability-low weighted road density), and "sour- spots" (low walkability-high weighted road density) neighbourhoods. We also examined the distribution of walkability and weighted road density by SES quintiles. Walkability and weighted road density showed a clear east-west gradient across the region. Our study found that only 4 % of Sydney's population lived in sweet-spot" neighbourhoods with high walkability and low weighted road density (desirable), and these tended to be located closer to the city centre. A greater proportion of neighbourhoods had health limiting attributes of high weighted road density or low walkability (about 20 % each), and over 5 % of the population lived in "sour-spot" neighbourhoods with low walkability and high weighted road density (least desirable). These neighbourhoods were more distant from the city centre and scattered more widely. There were

20 CFR 656.24 - Labor certification determinations.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... certification applications. (2) If the labor certification presents a special or unique problem, the Director of... opportunity as a college or university teacher, the U.S. worker must be at least as qualified as the alien. (3... 20 Employees' Benefits 3 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Labor certification determinations. 656.24...

Review of the analysis of relics associated with the HMAS Sydney II

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Treasure, Alana, E-mail: alana.treasure@awm.gov.a [Collection Services, Australian War Memorial, Canberra (Australia); Bailey, George; Challenor, Catherine [Collection Services, Australian War Memorial, Canberra (Australia); Otieno-Alego, Vincent [Forensic and Data Centres, Australian Federal Police, Canberra (Australia); Creagh, Dudley [Faculty of Applied Science, University of Canberra, Canberra (Australia)

2010-07-21

The 1941 sinking of the HMAS Sydney II in action with the German raider KSN Kormoran off the coast of Western Australia has been a source of mystery and speculation for more than 60 years. HMAS Sydney II was lost with all hands. The largest item of flotsam found in the vicinity was a Carley float, which was riddled with holes some of which contained small metallic items. The float was subjected to various physical and elemental examination methods in 1992 in an attempt to determine what may have happened. Three months after sinking, the unidentified body of a man washed ashore at Christmas Island in another Carley float. Relics found in his unmarked grave in 2006 included several degraded and corroded press-studs, some containing fragments of fabric. A metal fragment was recovered from the man's skull. XRF, SEM-EDS, Raman and FTIR spectroscopy, and X-ray tomography analysis of these items was conducted in an attempt to determine what link the sailor may have to the HMAS Sydney II.

In the Shadows of the Mission: Education Policy, Urban Space, and the "Colonial Present" in Sydney

Science.gov (United States)

Gulson, Kalervo N.; Parkes, Robert J.

2009-01-01

This paper is concerned with enduring histories and micro-geographies of the (post)colonial Australian nation, played out through contemporary connections between Aboriginality, inner Sydney and educational policy change. This paper traces the "racialization" of space and place in the Sydney inner city suburb of Redfern, including the…

File list: His.Emb.50.AllAg.20-24h_embryos [Chip-atlas[Archive

Lifescience Database Archive (English)

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File list: ALL.Emb.05.AllAg.20-24h_embryos [Chip-atlas[Archive

Lifescience Database Archive (English)

Full Text Available ALL.Emb.05.AllAg.20-24h_embryos dm3 All antigens Embryo 20-24h embryos SRX013089,SR...X013045,SRX013019,SRX013046,SRX013108,SRX013098,SRX013020 http://dbarchive.biosciencedbc.jp/kyushu-u/dm3/assembled/ALL.Emb.05.AllAg.20-24h_embryos.bed ...

Secreted phosphoprotein 24 kD (Spp24) inhibits growth of human pancreatic cancer cells caused by BMP-2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Chen-Shuang; Tian, Haijun; Zou, Min; Zhao, Ke-Wei; Li, Yawei; Lao, Lifeng; Brochmann, Elsa J.; Duarte, M. Eugenia L.; Daubs, Michael D.; Zhou, Yan-Heng; Murray, Samuel S.; Wang, Jeffrey C.

2015-01-01

The emerging role of bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) in the initiation and progression of multiple cancers has drawn great attention in cancer research. In this study, we report that BMP-2 can promote the proliferation of the pancreatic tumor cell line, PANC-1. Secreted phosphoprotein 24 kD (Spp24), a BMP binding protein, did not affect the proliferation of the cells but promoted the apoptosis of the cells in vitro. In a xeneograft tumor model using PANC-1 cells, BMP-2 dramatically promoted tumor growth, while Spp24 not only abolished the effect of BMP-2, but also dramatically induced tumor shrinking when used alone. Activation of Smad1/5/8 participated in this process as demonstrated by immunohistochemical staining of phosphorylated Smad 1/5/8. We conclude that Spp24 can be developed into a therapeutic agent that could be employed in clinical situations where the inhibition of BMPs and related proteins is advantageous. - Highlights: • Spp24 effectively inhibited the in vivo tumor growth of PANC-1. • BMP-2 dramatically promoted tumor growth by promoting PANC-1 proliferation. • Spp24 abolished the tumor growth effect of BMP-2 by promoting PANC-1 apoptosis. • Spp24 may be a candidate as a therapeutic agent of pancreatic cancer.

Secreted phosphoprotein 24 kD (Spp24) inhibits growth of human pancreatic cancer cells caused by BMP-2

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li, Chen-Shuang [Department of Orthodontics, Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology, Beijing (China); Tian, Haijun, E-mail: haijuntianmd@gmail.com [Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Changzheng Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai (China); Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA (United States); Department of Surgery, Bethune School of Medics, Shijiazhuang (China); Zou, Min [Department of Orthodontics, School and Hospital of Stomatology, Xi' an Jiaotong University, Xi' an (China); Zhao, Ke-Wei [Research Service, VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, North Hills, CA (United States); Li, Yawei; Lao, Lifeng [Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA (United States); Brochmann, Elsa J. [Research Service, VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, North Hills, CA (United States); Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center, VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, North Hills, CA (United States); Department of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA (United States); Duarte, M. Eugenia L. [National Institute of Traumatology and Orthopaedics, Rio de Janeiro (Brazil); Daubs, Michael D. [Division of Orthopaedic Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Nevada School of Medicine, Las Vegas, NV (United States); Zhou, Yan-Heng, E-mail: yanhengzhou@vip.163.com [Department of Orthodontics, Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology, Beijing (China); Murray, Samuel S. [Research Service, VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, North Hills, CA (United States); Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center, VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, North Hills, CA (United States); Department of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA (United States); Wang, Jeffrey C. [Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA (United States)

2015-10-16

The emerging role of bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) in the initiation and progression of multiple cancers has drawn great attention in cancer research. In this study, we report that BMP-2 can promote the proliferation of the pancreatic tumor cell line, PANC-1. Secreted phosphoprotein 24 kD (Spp24), a BMP binding protein, did not affect the proliferation of the cells but promoted the apoptosis of the cells in vitro. In a xeneograft tumor model using PANC-1 cells, BMP-2 dramatically promoted tumor growth, while Spp24 not only abolished the effect of BMP-2, but also dramatically induced tumor shrinking when used alone. Activation of Smad1/5/8 participated in this process as demonstrated by immunohistochemical staining of phosphorylated Smad 1/5/8. We conclude that Spp24 can be developed into a therapeutic agent that could be employed in clinical situations where the inhibition of BMPs and related proteins is advantageous. - Highlights: • Spp24 effectively inhibited the in vivo tumor growth of PANC-1. • BMP-2 dramatically promoted tumor growth by promoting PANC-1 proliferation. • Spp24 abolished the tumor growth effect of BMP-2 by promoting PANC-1 apoptosis. • Spp24 may be a candidate as a therapeutic agent of pancreatic cancer.

Sir John Macpherson, the first but sometimes overlooked Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Sydney.

Science.gov (United States)

White, Richard T

2014-08-01

To chronicle the creation of the Chair of Psychiatry at the University of Sydney, and the career and legacy, in New South Wales, of the first incumbent, Professor Sir John Macpherson CB MD FRCPE. The creation of the Chair, Macpherson's appointment, and his contributions to psychiatry in Sydney during the 52 months of his tenure, are well documented in contemporaneous sources and demonstrate that he was a very worthy Foundation Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Sydney. There are several possible reasons why Macpherson has been overlooked, including an erroneous statement in The World History of Psychiatry (1975) that William Siegfried Dawson, his successor from 1927 to 1952, was the first Professor of Psychiatry. © The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists 2014.

For the Bicultural Happy Few Only: Didier Coste’s Days in Sydney

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Helene Jaccomard

2009-08-01

Full Text Available Written by Didier Coste, a French essayist, translator and academic who worked for some years in Australia, Days in Sydney is a unique bilingual novel. Instead of the accepted custom of the original text printed on the opposite page of its translation Days in Sydney contains no translation. It alternates French and English in a seamless fashion that is the antithesis of the conventions of bilingual texts, resulting in a truly heteroglossic text, elliptical in its construction as it meanders between two languages and two main characters. In the publication announcement Didier Coste stated that this unusual book was the result of an ‘nécessité esthétique et une certaine idée de la bi-culture’ aimed at ‘le petit cercle des bilingues d'Australie’. Alongside his creative output Coste has published scholarly works since the late 1980s up to 2004. In English. By examining the principles and practice of heteroglossia and by drawing on one of Coste’s recent academic article, this paper explores the twin notions of ‘nécessité esthétique”, and ‘bi-cultural’ readership to account for the (not so global space between two languages and cultures Days in Sydney occupies.

Downregulation of CD44 reduces doxorubicin resistance of CD44+CD24- breast cancer cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Phuc PV

2011-06-01

Full Text Available Pham Van Phuc, Phan Lu Chinh Nhan, Truong Hai Nhung, Nguyen Thanh Tam, Nguyen Minh Hoang, Vuong Gia Tue, Duong Thanh Thuy, Phan Kim NgocLaboratory of Stem Cell Research and Application, University of Science, Vietnam National University, Ho Chi Minh, VietnamBackground: Cells within breast cancer stem cell populations have been confirmed to have a CD44+CD24- phenotype. Strong expression of CD44 plays a critical role in numerous types of human cancers. CD44 is involved in cell differentiation, adhesion, and metastasis of cancer cells.Methods: In this study, we reduced CD44 expression in CD44+CD24- breast cancer stem cells and investigated their sensitivity to an antitumor drug. The CD44+CD24- breast cancer stem cells were isolated from breast tumors; CD44 expression was downregulated with siRNAs followed by treatment with different concentrations of the antitumor drug.Results: The proliferation of CD44 downregulated CD44+CD24- breast cancer stem cells was decreased after drug treatment. We noticed treated cells were more sensitive to doxorubicin, even at low doses, compared with the control groups.Conclusions: It would appear that expression of CD44 is integral among the CD44+CD24- cell population. Reducing the expression level of CD44, combined with doxorubicin treatment, yields promising results for eradicating breast cancer stem cells in vitro. This study opens a new direction in treating breast cancer through gene therapy in conjunction with chemotherapy.Keywords: antitumor drugs, breast cancer stem cells, CD44, CD44+CD24- cells, doxorubicin

Increased IL-20 and IL-24 target osteoblasts and synovial monocytes in spondyloarthritis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kragstrup, Tue Wenzel; Andersen, Morten Nørgaard; Schiøttz-Christensen, Berit

2017-01-01

The pathogenesis of spondyloarthritis (SpA) involves activation of the innate immune system, inflammation and new bone formation. The two cytokines interleukin (IL)-20 and IL-24 have been shown to link innate immune activation and tissue homeostasis. We hypothesized that these two cytokines...... are secreted as part of activation of the innate immune system and affect bone homeostasis in SpA. IL-20 and IL-24 were measured in plasma from axial SpA patients (n = 83). Peripheral SpA patients (n = 16) were included for in-vitro cell culture studies. The plasma IL-20 and IL-24 levels were increased in Sp...

File list: ALL.Emb.20.AllAg.2-4h_embryos [Chip-atlas[Archive

Lifescience Database Archive (English)

Full Text Available ALL.Emb.20.AllAg.2-4h_embryos dm3 All antigens Embryo 2-4h embryos SRX127437,SRX482...X372808,SRX197573,SRX183890,SRX197576,SRX661062,SRX183886 http://dbarchive.biosciencedbc.jp/kyushu-u/dm3/assembled/ALL.Emb.20.AllAg.2-4h_embryos.bed ...

Development of the EORTC QLQ-CAX24, A Questionnaire for Cancer Patients With Cachexia.

Science.gov (United States)

Wheelwright, Sally J; Hopkinson, Jane B; Darlington, Anne-Sophie; Fitzsimmons, Deborah F; Fayers, Peter; Balstad, Trude R; Bredart, Anne; Hammerlid, Eva; Kaasa, Stein; Nicolatou-Galitis, Ourania; Pinto, Monica; Schmidt, Heike; Solheim, Tora S; Strasser, Florian; Tomaszewska, Iwona M; Johnson, Colin D

2017-02-01

Cachexia is commonly found in cancer patients and has profound consequences; yet there is only one questionnaire that examines the patient's perspective. To report a rigorously developed module for patient self-reported impact of cancer cachexia. Module development followed published guidelines. Patients from across the cancer cachexia trajectory were included. In Phase 1, health-related quality of life (HRQOL) issues were generated from a literature review and interviews with patients in four countries. The issues were revised based on patient and health care professional (HCP) input. In Phase 2, questionnaire items were formulated and translated into the languages required for Phase 3, the pilot phase, in which patients from eight countries scored the relevance and importance of each item, and provided qualitative feedback. A total of 39 patients and 12 HCPs took part in Phase 1. The literature review produced 68 HRQOL issues, with 22 new issues arising from the patient interviews. After patient and HCP input, 44 issues were formulated into questionnaire items in Phase 2. One hundred ten patients took part in Phase 3. One item was reworded, and 20 items were deleted as a consequence of patient feedback. The QLQ-CAX24 is a cancer cachexia-specific questionnaire, comprising 24 items, for HRQOL assessment in clinical trials and practice. It contains five multi-item scales (food aversion, eating and weight-loss worry, eating difficulties, loss of control, and physical decline) and four single items. Copyright © 2016 American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Factors associated with delayed tobacco uptake among Vietnamese/Asian and Arabic youth in Sydney, NSW.

Science.gov (United States)

Rissel, C; McLellan, L; Bauman, A

2000-02-01

To describe the smoking behaviour and possible reasons for delayed uptake of tobacco smoking among Arabic and Vietnamese/Asian speaking senior school students in Sydney A descriptive study involving four adult in-depth interviews and five student focus groups plus a quantitative survey of 2,573 school students attending Years 10 and 11 from 12 high schools with high Vietnamese and Arabic populations was conducted in Sydney in 1998. Self-reported smoking behaviour and peer, parent, school and cultural background information was collected. Students who smoke were more likely to have more than $20 a week pocket money, be from an English-speaking background, have no rules at home about smoking, have family members who smoke, not feel close to their father, spend three or more evenings a week out with friends, and have negative perceptions of the school environment and of the level of teacher support. They were less likely to smoke if they perceived their peers to be unsupportive. These results confirm the delayed uptake of smoking among students from a Vietnamese/Asian and Arabic-speaking backgrounds compared with those from an English-speaking background. A number of family and school factors were associated with smoking. Positive parental modelling, active parenting including awareness of or supervision of student leisure time, strict rules about not smoking and less pocket money are important strategies for preventing smoking among all adolescents.

Arctigenin anti-tumor activity in bladder cancer T24 cell line through induction of cell-cycle arrest and apoptosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Shucai; Ma, Jing; Xiao, Jianbing; Lv, Xiaohong; Li, Xinlei; Yang, Huike; Liu, Ying; Feng, Sijia; Zhang, Yafang

2012-08-01

Bladder cancer is the most common neoplasm in the urinary system. This study assesses arctigenin anti-tumor activity in human bladder cancer T24 cells in vitro and the underlying molecular events. The flow cytometry analysis was used to detect cell-cycle distribution and apoptosis. Western blotting was used to detect changes in protein expression. The data showed that arctigenin treatment reduced viability of bladder cancer T24 cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner after treatment with arctigenin (10, 20, 40, 80, and 100 μmol/L) for 24 hr and 48 hr. Arctigenin treatment clearly arrested tumor cells in the G1 phase of the cell cycle. Apoptosis was detected by hoechst stain and flow cytometry after Annexin-V-FITC/PI double staining. Early and late apoptotic cells were accounted for 2.32-7.01% and 3.07-7.35%, respectively. At the molecular level, arctigenin treatment decreased cyclin D1 expression, whereas CDK4 and CDK6 expression levels were unaffected. Moreover, arctigenin selectively altered the phosphorylation of members of the MAPK superfamily, decreasing phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and activated phosphorylation of p38 significantly in a dose-dependent manner. These results suggest that arctigenin may inhibit cell viability and induce apoptosis by direct activation of the mitochondrial pathway, and the mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway may play an important role in the anti-tumor effect of arctigenin. The data from the current study demonstrate the usefulness of arctigenin in bladder cancer T24 cells, which should further be evaluated in vivo before translation into clinical trials for the chemoprevention of bladder cancer. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Large Eddy Simulation of Sydney Swirl Non-Reaction Jets

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Yang, Yang; Kær, Søren Knudsen; Yin, Chungen

The Sydney swirl burner non-reaction case was studied using large eddy simulation. The two-point correlation method was introduced and used to estimate grid resolution. Energy spectra and instantaneous pressure and velocity plots were used to identify features in flow field. By using these method......, vortex breakdown and precessing vortex core are identified and different flow zones are shown....

Evaluation of Stem Cell Markers, CD44/CD24 in Breast Cancer Cell Lines

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Masoud Hashemi Arabi

2014-05-01

Four breast cancer cell lines, MCF-7 ، T47D ، MDA-MB231 and MDA-MB468 were purchased from National cell Bank of Iran based in Iran Pasture Institute and were cultured in high glucose DMEM supplemented with 10% FCS. Cells were stained with antiCD44-PE and antiCD24-FITC antibodies and Status of CD44 and CD24 as markers of breast cancer stem cells were evaluated using flow cytometer and fluorescent microscopy.Evaluation of CD44 and CD24 as markers of breast cancer stem cells showed that MDA-MB231 with 97±1.2% CD44+/CD24-/low cells is significantly different from the others that they were mainly CD44 and CD24 positive cells(p

Patterns of myopigenic activities with age, gender and ethnicity in Sydney schoolchildren.

Science.gov (United States)

French, Amanda N; Morgan, Ian G; Mitchell, Paul; Rose, Kathryn A

2013-05-01

To examine the patterns of myopigenic activity (high near work, low time outdoors) in children growing up in Sydney, Australia, by age, ethnicity and gender. The Sydney Adolescent Vascular and Eye Study (SAVES) re-examined children from the two age cohorts (6 and 12 years at baseline) from the Sydney Myopia Study (SMS). At 5-6 year follow-up, 863 in the younger cohort and 1196 in the older cohort had complete refraction data. Cycloplegic autorefraction (cyclopentolate 1%; Canon RK-F1) was measured at baseline and follow-up. Children who became myopic (≤-0.50 dioptres spherical equivalent refraction) were those classified as non-myopic at baseline and myopic at follow-up. A detailed questionnaire was administered to measure weekly activities, including time spent outdoors and near work at both baseline and follow-up examination. Overall, 128 (14.8%) children in the younger cohort and 210 (17.6%) in the older cohort became myopic. At follow-up, for both cohorts, children had significantly reduced the amount of time spent outdoors (younger cohort, p = 0.001, older cohort, p Asian ethnicity spent significantly less time outdoors by more than 7 h per week (both cohorts at baseline and follow-up, all p Asian ancestry having a more myopigenic activity pattern than European Caucasian children. Ophthalmic & Physiological Optics © 2013 The College of Optometrists.

Proteomic analysis of Sydney Rock oysters (Saccostrea glomerata) exposed to metal contamination in the field

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thompson, Emma L.; Taylor, Daisy A.; Nair, Sham V.; Birch, Gavin; Hose, Grant C.; Raftos, David A.

2012-01-01

This study used proteomics to assess the impacts of metal contamination in the field on Sydney Rock oysters. Oysters were transplanted into Lake Macquarie, NSW, for two weeks in both 2009 and 2010. Two-dimensional electrophoresis identified changes in protein expression profiles of oyster haemolymph between control and metal contaminated sites. There were unique protein expression profiles for each field trial. Principal components analysis attributed these differences in oyster proteomes to the different combinations and concentrations of metals and other environmental variables present during the three field trials. Identification of differentially expressed proteins showed that proteins associated with cytoskeletal activity and stress responses were the most commonly affected biological functions in the Sydney Rock oyster. Overall, the data show that proteomics combined with multivariate analysis has the potential to link the effects of contaminants with biological consequences. - Highlights: ► Sydney Rock oyster haemolymph was analysed by proteomics after metal exposure in 3 field trials. ► 2-DE analysis was used to compare protein profiles between control and contaminated sites. ► Different protein expression profiles were revealed per field trial. ► Principal components analysis attributed profiles to different suites of metals and environmental variables per trial. ► The study highlights the need to do multiple field trials and to combine proteomic and enviro. data. - This study used proteomics to analyse impacts of metal contamination on Sydney Rock oyster (Saccostrea glomerata) haemolymph in multiple field trials.

Sydney Tar Ponds: Some problems in quantifying toxic waste

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Furimsky, E. [IMAF Group, Ottawa, ON (Canada)

2002-07-01

Information on the type and amount of hazardous and toxic waste is required to develop a meaningful strategy and estimate a realistic cost for clean up of the Sydney Tar Pond site which is located on Cape Breton, in the province of Nova Scotia, Canada. The site covers the area of the decommissioned Sysco (Sydney Steel Corporation) plant. The materials of concern include BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes), PAH (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons), PCB (polychlorinated biphenyl), and particulates laden with toxic metals, such as arsenic, lead, and others. The originally nontoxic materials such as soil, blast furnace slag, and vegetation, as well as surface and ground waters, which were subsequently contaminated, must also be included if they fail tests prescribed by environmental regulations. An extensive sampling program must be undertaken to obtain data for an accurate estimate of the waste to be cleaned and disposed of. Apparently, 700,000 tons of toxic waste which is believed to be present on the site, may represent only a fraction of the actual amount. The clean-up of the site is only part of the solution. Toxic waste has to be disposed of in accordance with environmental regulations.

Sydney tar ponds: some problems in quantifying toxic waste.

Science.gov (United States)

Furimsky, Edward

2002-12-01

Information on the type and amount of hazardous and toxic waste is required to develop a meaningful strategy and estimate a realistic cost for clean up of the Sydney Tar Pond site which is located on Cape Breton, in the province of Nova Scotia, Canada. The site covers the area of the decommissioned Sysco (Sydney Steel Corporation) plant. The materials of concern include BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes), PAH (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons), PCB (polychlorinated biphenyl), and particulates laden with toxic metals, such as arsenic, lead, and others. The originally nontoxic materials such as soil, blast furnace slag, and vegetation, as well as surface and ground waters, which were subsequently contaminated, must also be included if they fail tests prescribed by environmental regulations. An extensive sampling program must be undertaken to obtain data for an accurate estimate of the waste to be cleaned and disposed of. Apparently, 700,000 tons of toxic waste, which is believed to be present on the site, may represent only a fraction of the actual amount. The clean-up of the site is only part of the solution. Toxic waste has to be disposed of in accordance with environmental regulations.

Sydney harbourings, rehabilitations and the politics of procurement

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Catherine de Lorenzo

2002-09-01

Full Text Available In the last three years Sydney has been transformed to an unprecedented extent by public art projects, most of which have been developed by government instrumentalities, agencies or partnerships. The central city council has initiated a Sculpture Walk through the streets and around the rocky foreshores of the inner city; the Sydney Olympic site at Homebush Bay is home to a number of public art works; the government’s water utility company has sponsored an annual, temporary art installation walk along a spectacularly rugged ocean escarpment linking several medium-density suburbs; another instrumentality recently established to oversee the reuse of abandoned heavy industrial sites in the harbour, has established the ‘Promenart’ program along fifteen kilometres of harbour foreshores; and a government-appointed statutory authority responsible for the redevelopment of an extensive and highly polluted former industrial site between the CDB and the airport, has worked closely with designers and artists to develop comprehensive briefs addressing environmental rehabilitation and social interaction. This impressive list is by no means exhaustive. The surge in bureaucratic and artistic creative energy demands critical evaluation. In this paper I will contrast two sets of projects. This first concerns actual projects, in or near the spectacular Sydney Harbour setting, which are premised on placemaking principles and on the whole elicit actual or imagined histories for the delight and reverie of the promenader. Despite the popular and aesthetic success of these projects, one of them, the ambitious Sculpture Walk, is currently being re-evaluated. The second set, in more mundane suburban environments and centred on toxic waterways, concerns projects that at this stage are either being implemented or nearing commencement by interdisciplinary groups of artists, designers, engineers, environmentalists, community representatives, and other specialists. Their

The correlation between exhalation from rocks and indoor concentration of 222Rn in the Sydney area

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

MCKenzie, D.R.; Lenzen, M.; Solomon, S.B.

2001-01-01

The results of a survey of indoor 222 Rn concentrations of 350 dwellings in the Sydney area are combined with measurements of 222 Rn exhalation rates of principal rock types in the survey area. A linear regression is predicted which yields a positive regression coefficient of b=2.4±0.3, a constant of a=3.4±0.5, and a correlation coefficient of R 2 =0.15. This correlation was found to be highly significant by using three different statistical tests. The ratio of the indoor 222 Rn concentrations in dwellings built on the two dominant rock types, the Wianamatta Shale and the Hawkesbury Sandstone, was found to be about 1.6. Copyright (2001) Australasian Radiation Protection Society Inc

Inhibition of Cell Survival by Curcumin Is Associated with Downregulation of Cell Division Cycle 20 (Cdc20) in Pancreatic Cancer Cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Yu; Xue, Ying-Bo; Li, Hang; Qiu, Dong; Wang, Zhi-Wei; Tan, Shi-Sheng

2017-02-04

Pancreatic cancer is one of the most aggressive human tumors in the United States. Curcumin, a polyphenol derived from the Curcuma longa plant, has been reported to exert its antitumor activity in pancreatic cancer. However, the molecular mechanisms of curcumin-mediated tumor suppressive function have not been fully elucidated. In the current study, we explore whether curcumin exhibits its anti-cancer function through inhibition of oncoprotein cell division cycle 20 (Cdc20) in pancreatic cancer cells. We found that curcumin inhibited cell growth, enhanced apoptosis, induced cell cycle arrest and retarded cell invasion in pancreatic cancer cells. Moreover, we observed that curcumin significantly inhibited the expression of Cdc20 in pancreatic cancer cells. Furthermore, our results demonstrated that overexpression of Cdc20 enhanced cell proliferation and invasion, and abrogated the cytotoxic effects induced by curcumin in pancreatic cancer cells. Consistently, downregulation of Cdc20 promoted curcumin-mediated anti-tumor activity. Therefore, our findings indicated that inhibition of Cdc20 by curcumin could be useful for the treatment of pancreatic cancer patients.

Assessment of psychosocial outcomes in adolescents and young adults with cancer: a systematic review of available instruments

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wakefield CE

2013-02-01

Full Text Available Claire E Wakefield,1,2 Pandora Patterson,3 Fiona E J McDonald,3 Helen L Wilson,1,2 Esther Davis,3 Ursula M Sansom-Daly2,41School of Women's and Children's Health, UNSW Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia; 2Centre for Children's Cancer and Blood Disorders, Sydney Children's Hospital, Sydney, NSW, Australia; 3CanTeen, Sydney, NSW, Australia; 4School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, AustraliaPurpose: Given the burgeoning body of research relating to the psychosocial needs of adolescents and young adults (AYAs with cancer, this review aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties and appropriateness of the instruments available for use in this unique population. Specifically, we reviewed published instruments developed to assess psychological distress (depression, anxiety, stress, and fear of recurrence, psychological growth (resilience, posttraumatic growth, and benefit finding, unmet needs, coping, quality of life, identity, and mindfulness-based practices and skills in AYAs with cancer. Given the dearth of validated instruments targeting AYAs with cancer, this review also provides a summary of promising measures yet to be formally validated in this population.Methods: Five electronic databases were searched by a team of six researchers, and studies involving AYAs (who have or have had cancer aged 15–30 years, and published between 1982 and 2012 were reviewed. Of 410 abstracts, 7 instruments were identified as validated in this population, with a further 19 identified as promising.Results: While there are numerous scales to assess psychosocial outcomes in cancer, few have been specifically validated for AYAs affected by cancer, particularly in the domains of psychological distress, psychological growth, coping, unmet needs, and identity. There are relatively more instruments validated, or promising, for assessment of quality of life than scales for other domains.Conclusion: In the AYA context

24 CFR 85.20 - Standards for financial management systems.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Standards for financial management... Administration § 85.20 Standards for financial management systems. (a) A State must expand and account for grant... statutes. (b) The financial management systems of other grantees and subgrantees must meet the following...

A portrait of prefrontal lobotomy performed at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Sydney by Dr Rex Money.

Science.gov (United States)

White, Richard T; McGee-Collett, Martin

2016-10-01

The objective of this article is to provide a portrait of prefrontal lobotomy performed at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney by the Head of Neurosurgery Dr Rex Money and to describe Dr Money's role in the promotion of psychosurgery in Sydney. We draw attention to an oral presentation by Dr Rex Money in 1951, a journal article written by Money, archival information held at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, including Dr Money's accounts of his travels and his reports regarding neurosurgery - both internationally and in Australia. Dr Rex Money performed a series of 13 prefrontal lobotomies between 1945 and 1951, and presented the theoretical basis for his series, his operative procedures and the outcomes at the annual meeting of its medical officers' association. Notwithstanding various deficiencies in his clinical research, Money's descriptions give a relatively comprehensive account of one of the first series of prefrontal lobotomies performed in Australia. The current article also describes Dr Money's contributions to the promotion of psychosurgery in Sydney, and illustrates the participation of a senior neurosurgeon and of a major Sydney teaching hospital during the psychosurgery saga. © The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists 2016.

Summarising climate and air quality (ozone) data on self-organising maps: a Sydney case study.

Science.gov (United States)

Jiang, Ningbo; Betts, Alan; Riley, Matt

2016-02-01

This paper explores the classification and visualisation utility of the self-organising map (SOM) method in the context of New South Wales (NSW), Australia, using gridded NCEP/NCAR geopotential height reanalysis for east Australia, together with multi-site meteorological and air quality data for Sydney from the NSW Office of Environment and Heritage Air Quality Monitoring Network. A twice-daily synoptic classification has been derived for east Australia for the period of 1958-2012. The classification has not only reproduced the typical synoptic patterns previously identified in the literature but also provided an opportunity to visualise the subtle, non-linear change in the eastward-migrating synoptic systems influencing NSW (including Sydney). The summarisation of long-term, multi-site air quality/meteorological data from the Sydney basin on the SOM plane has identified a set of typical air pollution/meteorological spatial patterns in the region. Importantly, the examination of these patterns in relation to synoptic weather types has provided important visual insights into how local and synoptic meteorological conditions interact with each other and affect the variability of air quality in tandem. The study illustrates that while synoptic circulation types are influential, the within-type variability in mesoscale flows plays a critical role in determining local ozone levels in Sydney. These results indicate that the SOM can be a useful tool for assessing the impact of weather and climatic conditions on air quality in the regional airshed. This study further promotes the use of the SOM method in environmental research.

24-Hydroxylase in Cancer: Impact on Vitamin D-based Anticancer Therapeutics

Science.gov (United States)

Luo, Wei; Hershberger, Pamela A.; Trump, Donald L.; Johnson, Candace S.

2013-01-01

The active vitamin D hormone 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25(OH)2D3) plays a major role in regulating calcium homeostasis and bone mineralization. 1,25(OH)2D3 also modulates cellular proliferation and differentiation in a variety of cell types. 24-hydroxylase, encoded by the CYP24A1 gene, is the key enzyme which converts 1,25(OH)2D3 to less active calcitroic acid. Nearly all cell types express 24-hydroxylase, the highest activity being observed in the kidney. There is increasing evidence linking the incidence and prognosis of certain cancers to low serum 25 (OH)D3 levels and high expression of vitamin D 24-hydroxylase supporting the idea that elevated CYP24A1 expression may stimulate degradation of vitamin D metabolites including 25-(OH)D3 and 1,25(OH)2D3. The over expression of CYP24A1 in cancer cells may be a factor affecting 1,25(OH)2D3 bioavailability and anti-proliferative activity pre-clinically and clinically. The combination of 1,25(OH)2D3 with CYP24A1 inhibitors enhances 1,25(OH)2D3 mediated signaling and anti-proliferative effects and may be useful in overcoming effects of aberrant CYP24 expression. PMID:23059474

File list: Oth.Brs.20.AllAg.Breast_cancer [Chip-atlas[Archive

Lifescience Database Archive (English)

Full Text Available Oth.Brs.20.AllAg.Breast_cancer hg19 TFs and others Breast Breast cancer SRX186804,S... http://dbarchive.biosciencedbc.jp/kyushu-u/hg19/assembled/Oth.Brs.20.AllAg.Breast_cancer.bed ...

Trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder among homeless adults in Sydney.

Science.gov (United States)

Taylor, Kathryn M; Sharpe, Louise

2008-03-01

International studies indicate high prevalence rates of post-traumatic stress disorder within homeless populations. In Australia, studies indicate high rates of trauma among homeless adults, yet post-traumatic stress disorder has not been investigated in homeless Australian adults. The primary aim of this project was to determine the prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder among homeless adults in Sydney. Further, another aim of the study was to determine whether the onset of post-traumatic stress disorder preceded the first episode of homelessness or was a consequence of homelessness. The sample consisted of 70 homeless men and women aged 18-73 years, who were randomly sampled through eight homeless services. A computer-assisted face-to-face structured clinical interview was conducted with each participant. Lifetime prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder was determined via the Composite International Diagnostic Interview. The majority of the sample had experienced at least one traumatic event in their lifetime (98%). Indeed, the mean number of traumas per person was six. The 12 month prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder was higher among homeless adults in Sydney in comparison to the Australian general population (41% vs 1.5%). But 79% of the sample had a lifetime prevalence of post-traumatic stress. In 59% of cases, the onset of post-traumatic stress disorder preceded the age of the first reported homeless episode. Homeless adults in Sydney frequently experience trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder. The study found that trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder more often precede homelessness, but re-victimization is common. These findings highlight the high mental health needs among homeless people and have implications for services for homeless people.

Epidemiology and whole genome sequencing of an ongoing point-source Salmonella Agona outbreak associated with sushi consumption in western Sydney, Australia 2015.

Science.gov (United States)

Thompson, C K; Wang, Q; Bag, S K; Franklin, N; Shadbolt, C T; Howard, P; Fearnley, E J; Quinn, H E; Sintchenko, V; Hope, K G

2017-07-01

During May 2015, an increase in Salmonella Agona cases was reported from western Sydney, Australia. We examine the public health actions used to investigate and control this increase. A descriptive case-series investigation was conducted. Six outbreak cases were identified; all had consumed cooked tuna sushi rolls purchased within a western Sydney shopping complex. Onset of illness for outbreak cases occurred between 7 April and 24 May 2015. Salmonella was isolated from food samples collected from the implicated premise and a prohibition order issued. No further cases were identified following this action. Whole genome sequence (WGS) analysis was performed on isolates recovered during this investigation, with additional S. Agona isolates from sporadic-clinical cases and routine food sampling in New South Wales, January to July 2015. Clinical isolates of outbreak cases were indistinguishable from food isolates collected from the implicated sushi outlet. Five additional clinical isolates not originally considered to be linked to the outbreak were genomically similar to outbreak isolates, indicating the point-source contamination may have started before routine surveillance identified an increase. This investigation demonstrated the value of genomics-guided public health action, where near real-time WGS enhanced the resolution of the epidemiological investigation.

20-years of population-based cancer registration in hepatitis B and liver cancer prevention in the Gambia, West Africa.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ebrima Bah

Full Text Available The Gambia Hepatitis Intervention Study (GHIS was designed as a randomised control trial of infant hepatitis B vaccination applied to public health policy, with the main goal of preventing primary liver cancer later in adult life in The Gambia. To that effect, the National Cancer Registry of The Gambia (NCR, a population-based cancer registry (PBCR, was established in 1986 to actively collect data on all cancer diagnosis nation-wide. We extracted 20-years (1990-2009 of data to assess for the first time, the evolution of the most common cancers, also describe and demonstrate the role of the PBCR in a hepatitis B and liver cancer prevention programme in this population.We estimated Age-Standardised Incidence Rates (ASR (W of the most common cancers registered during the period by gender. The registration period was divided into four 5-year intervals and incidence rates were estimated for each interval. The most common cancers in males were liver, prostate, lung plus bronchus, non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL and stomach, accounting for 60%, 5%, 4%, 5% and 3%, respectively. Similarly, cancers of the cervix uteri, liver, breast and NHL, were the most common in females, accounting for 33%, 24%, 11% and 4% of the female cancers, respectively.Cancer incidence has remained relatively stable over time, but as shown elsewhere in sub-Saharan Africa the disease is a threat in The Gambia. The infection related cancers which are mostly preventable (HBV in men and HPV/HIV in women were the most common. At the moment the data is not enough to detect an effect of hepatitis B vaccination on liver cancer incidence in The Gambia. However, we observed that monitoring case occurrence through PBCR is a key public health pre-requisite for rational planning and implementation of targeted interventions for improving the health of the population.

20-Years of Population-Based Cancer Registration in Hepatitis B and Liver Cancer Prevention in The Gambia, West Africa

Science.gov (United States)

Bah, Ebrima; Carrieri, Maria Patrizia; Hainaut, Pierre; Bah, Yusupha; Nyan, Ousman; Taal, Makie

2013-01-01

Background The Gambia Hepatitis Intervention Study (GHIS) was designed as a randomised control trial of infant hepatitis B vaccination applied to public health policy, with the main goal of preventing primary liver cancer later in adult life in The Gambia. To that effect, the National Cancer Registry of The Gambia (NCR), a population-based cancer registry (PBCR), was established in 1986 to actively collect data on all cancer diagnosis nation-wide. We extracted 20-years (1990-2009) of data to assess for the first time, the evolution of the most common cancers, also describe and demonstrate the role of the PBCR in a hepatitis B and liver cancer prevention programme in this population. Methods and Findings We estimated Age-Standardised Incidence Rates (ASR (W)) of the most common cancers registered during the period by gender. The registration period was divided into four 5-year intervals and incidence rates were estimated for each interval. The most common cancers in males were liver, prostate, lung plus bronchus, non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) and stomach, accounting for 60%, 5%, 4%, 5% and 3%, respectively. Similarly, cancers of the cervix uteri, liver, breast and NHL, were the most common in females, accounting for 33%, 24%, 11% and 4% of the female cancers, respectively. Conclusions Cancer incidence has remained relatively stable over time, but as shown elsewhere in sub-Saharan Africa the disease is a threat in The Gambia. The infection related cancers which are mostly preventable (HBV in men and HPV/HIV in women) were the most common. At the moment the data is not enough to detect an effect of hepatitis B vaccination on liver cancer incidence in The Gambia. However, we observed that monitoring case occurrence through PBCR is a key public health pre-requisite for rational planning and implementation of targeted interventions for improving the health of the population. PMID:24098724

File list: Unc.Dig.20.AllAg.Colon_cancer [Chip-atlas[Archive

Lifescience Database Archive (English)

Full Text Available Unc.Dig.20.AllAg.Colon_cancer hg19 Unclassified Digestive tract Colon cancer SRX115...0169,SRX1150170,SRX124703 http://dbarchive.biosciencedbc.jp/kyushu-u/hg19/assembled/Unc.Dig.20.AllAg.Colon_cancer.bed ...

Smoking prevalence among lesbian, bisexual and queer women in Sydney remains high: Analysis of trends and correlates.

Science.gov (United States)

Deacon, Rachel M; Mooney-Somers, Julie

2017-07-01

To investigate smoking prevalence trends and correlates among lesbian, bisexual and queer-identifying (LBQ) women in Sydney, Australia. Data from 5007 respondents to a repeated cross-sectional community survey were used to examine smoking trends between 2004 and 2014. Multinomial logistic regression was used to examine smoking correlates. Thirty percent of respondents were current smokers, including 48% of 16 to 24-year-olds. A slight decrease in all-ages smoking over time was not reflected in the youngest age group. LBQ women who smoke have fewer economic, social and psychological resources than both women who never smoke and ex-smokers. High levels of alcohol and illicit drug use are also correlated with current smoking. Population-wide interventions have failed to address the persistently high prevalence of smoking among this sample of LBQ women. Tailored interventions may find utility focusing on personal resilience to deal with general and sexuality-specific stressors, as well as attending to poly-substance use. Acknowledgment of LBQ women as a priority group for tobacco reduction is urgently needed. We call on tobacco control agencies to consider sexuality and gender orientation in policy and partner with lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community organisations to develop culturally appropriate interventions. [Deacon RM, Mooney-Somers J Smoking prevalence among lesbian, bisexual and queer women in Sydney remains high: Analysis of trends and correlates Drug Alcohol Rev 2017;36:546-554]. © 2017 Australasian Professional Society on Alcohol and other Drugs.

In situ identification of CD44+/CD24- cancer cells in primary human breast carcinomas.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Giuseppe Perrone

Full Text Available Breast cancer cells with the CD44+/CD24- phenotype have been reported to be tumourigenic due to their enhanced capacity for cancer development and their self-renewal potential. The identification of human tumourigenic breast cancer cells in surgical samples has recently received increased attention due to the implications for prognosis and treatment, although limitations exist in the interpretation of these studies. To better identify the CD44+/CD24- cells in routine surgical specimens, 56 primary breast carcinoma cases were analysed by immunofluorescence and confocal microscopy, and the results were compared using flow cytometry analysis to correlate the amount and distribution of the CD44+/CD24- population with clinicopathological features. Using these methods, we showed that the breast carcinoma cells displayed four distinct sub-populations based on the expression pattern of CD44 and CD24. The CD44+/CD24- cells were found in 91% of breast tumours and constituted an average of 6.12% (range, 0.11%-21.23% of the tumour. A strong correlation was found between the percentage of CD44+/CD24- cells in primary tumours and distant metastasis development (p = 0.0001; in addition, there was an inverse significant association with ER and PGR status (p = 0.002 and p = 0.001, respectively. No relationship was evident with tumour size (T and regional lymph node (N status, differentiation grade, proliferative index or HER2 status. In a multivariate analysis, the percentage of CD44+/CD24- cancer cells was an independent factor related to metastasis development (p = 0.004. Our results indicate that confocal analysis of fluorescence-labelled breast cancer samples obtained at surgery is a reliable method to identify the CD44+/CD24- tumourigenic cell population, allowing for the stratification of breast cancer patients into two groups with substantially different relapse rates on the basis of CD44+/CD24- cell percentage.

Comparative evaluation of human heat stress indices on selected hospital admissions in Sydney, Australia.

Science.gov (United States)

Goldie, James; Alexander, Lisa; Lewis, Sophie C; Sherwood, Steven

2017-08-01

To find appropriate regression model specifications for counts of the daily hospital admissions of a Sydney cohort and determine which human heat stress indices best improve the models' fit. We built parent models of eight daily counts of admission records using weather station observations, census population estimates and public holiday data. We added heat stress indices; models with lower Akaike Information Criterion scores were judged a better fit. Five of the eight parent models demonstrated adequate fit. Daily maximum Simplified Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (sWBGT) consistently improved fit more than most other indices; temperature and heatwave indices also modelled some health outcomes well. Humidity and heat-humidity indices better fit counts of patients who died following admission. Maximum sWBGT is an ideal measure of heat stress for these types of Sydney hospital admissions. Simple temperature indices are a good fallback where a narrower range of conditions is investigated. Implications for public health: This study confirms the importance of selecting appropriate heat stress indices for modelling. Epidemiologists projecting Sydney hospital admissions should use maximum sWBGT as a common measure of heat stress. Health organisations interested in short-range forecasting may prefer simple temperature indices. © 2017 The Authors.

File list: Oth.Dig.20.AllAg.Colon_cancer [Chip-atlas[Archive

Lifescience Database Archive (English)

Full Text Available Oth.Dig.20.AllAg.Colon_cancer hg19 TFs and others Digestive tract Colon cancer SRX1...55772,SRX155773,SRX155775,SRX155776 http://dbarchive.biosciencedbc.jp/kyushu-u/hg19/assembled/Oth.Dig.20.AllAg.Colon_cancer.bed ...

Impact of ambient air pollution on gestational age is modified by season in Sydney, Australia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lincoln Doug

2007-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The effect of individual pollutants and the period(s during pregnancy when pollutant levels are likely to have most impact on preterm birth is not clear. We evaluated the effect of prenatal exposure to six common urban air pollutants in the Sydney metropolitan area on preterm birth. Methods We obtained information on all births in metropolitan Sydney between January 1, 1998 and December 31, 2000. For each birth, exposure to each air pollutant was estimated for the first trimester, the three months preceding birth, the first month after the estimated date of conception and the month prior to delivery. Gestational age was analysed as a categorical variable in logistic regression models. Results There were 123 840 singleton births in Sydney in 1998–2000 and 4.9% were preterm. Preterm birth was significantly associated with maternal age, maternal smoking, male infant, indigenous status and first pregnancy. Air pollutant levels in the month and three months preceding birth had no significant effect on preterm birth after adjusting for maternal and infant covariates. Ozone levels in the first trimester of pregnancy and spring months of conception and sulphur dioxide were associated with increased risks for preterm births. Nitrogen dioxide was associated with a decreased risk of preterm births. Conclusion We found more protective than harmful associations between ambient air pollutants and preterm births with most associations non-significant. In view of these inconsistent associations, it is important to interpret the harmful effects with caution. If our results are confirmed by future studies then it will be imperative to reduce Sydney's already low air pollution levels even further.

Accuracy of burn size estimation in patients transferred to adult Burn Units in Sydney, Australia: an audit of 698 patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Harish, Varun; Raymond, Andrew P; Issler, Andrea C; Lajevardi, Sepehr S; Chang, Ling-Yun; Maitz, Peter K M; Kennedy, Peter

2015-02-01

The purpose of this study was to compare burn size estimation between referring centres and Burn Units in adult patients transferred to Burn Units in Sydney, Australia. A review of all adults transferred to Burn Units in Sydney, Australia between January 2009 and August 2013 was performed. The TBSA estimated by the referring institution was compared with the TBSA measured at the Burns Unit. There were 698 adults transferred to a Burns Unit. Equivalent TBSA estimation between the referring hospital and Burns Unit occurred in 30% of patients. Overestimation occurred at a ratio exceeding 3:1 with respect to underestimation, with the difference between the referring institutions and Burns Unit estimation being statistically significant (Pburn-injured patients as well as in patients transferred more than 48h after the burn (Pburn (Pburns (≥20% TBSA) were found to have more satisfactory burn size estimations compared with less severe injuries (burn size assessment by referring centres. The systemic tendency for overestimation occurs throughout the entire TBSA spectrum, and persists with increasing time after the burn. Underestimation occurs less frequently but rises with increasing time after the burn and with increasing TBSA. Severe burns (≥20% TBSA) are more accurately estimated by the referring hospital. The inaccuracies in burn size assessment have the potential to result in suboptimal treatment and inappropriate referral to specialised Burn Units. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd and ISBI. All rights reserved.

File list: ALL.Brs.20.AllAg.Breast_cancer [Chip-atlas[Archive

Lifescience Database Archive (English)

Full Text Available ALL.Brs.20.AllAg.Breast_cancer hg19 All antigens Breast Breast cancer SRX186804,SRX...SRX186823,SRX186817,SRX186820,SRX186832,SRX186829 http://dbarchive.biosciencedbc.jp/kyushu-u/hg19/assembled/ALL.Brs.20.AllAg.Breast_cancer.bed ...

File list: ALL.Prs.20.AllAg.Prostate_cancer [Chip-atlas[Archive

Lifescience Database Archive (English)

Full Text Available ALL.Prs.20.AllAg.Prostate_cancer hg19 All antigens Prostate Prostate cancer SRX5020...02055,SRX861680,SRX861682,SRX861685,SRX861681,SRX861678 http://dbarchive.biosciencedbc.jp/kyushu-u/hg19/assembled/ALL.Prs.20.AllAg.Prostate_cancer.bed ...

The impact of heat on mortality and morbidity in the Greater Metropolitan Sydney Region: a case crossover analysis

OpenAIRE

Wilson, Leigh Ann; Gerard Morgan, Geoffrey; Hanigan, Ivan Charles; Johnston, Fay H; Abu-Rayya, Hisham; Broome, Richard; Gaskin, Clive; Jalaludin, Bin

2013-01-01

Background This study examined the association between unusually high temperature and daily mortality (1997?2007) and hospital admissions (1997?2010) in the Sydney Greater Metropolitan Region (GMR) to assist in the development of targeted health programs designed to minimise the public health impact of extreme heat. Methods Sydney GMR was categorized into five climate zones. Heat-events were defined as severe or extreme. Using a time-stratified case-crossover design with a conditional logisti...

Adenovirus-mediated IL-24 expression enhances the chemosensitivity of multidrug-resistantgastric cancer cells to cisplatin.

Science.gov (United States)

Mao, Zonglei; Bian, Guochun; Sheng, Weihua; He, Songbin; Yang, Jicheng; Dong, Xiaoqiang

2013-11-01

Chemotherapy is one of the commonly used strategies in gastric cancer, especially for unresectable patients, but it becomes insensitive to repeated administration of even the most effective chemotherapeutic agents, such as cisplatin. Given this, there is an urgent need for developing chemosensitizers to overcome acquired resistance to chemotherapeutic agents. Interleukin-24 (IL-24), a cytokine-tumor suppressor, shows broad-spectrum and tumor-specific antitumor properties, and studies have demonstrated that IL-24 could conspicuously restore the chemosensitivity of MDR cancer cells. Herein, we developed a human MDR gastric cancer cell subline, SGC7901/CDDP, by repeated selection of resistant clones of parental sensitive cells, and further investigated the chemosensitizing effects and the underlying mechanisms of adenovirus-mediated IL-24 (Ad-IL-24) gene therapy plus CDDP for the human MDR gastric cancer cells SGC7901/CDDP in vitro and in vivo. The results demonstrated that the expression of IL-24 mRNA and protein was profoundly downregulated in SGC7901/CDDP cells by RT-PCR and western blot analysis. In addition, the cell viability assay showed that the IC50 of SGC7901/CDDP cells to CDDP, 5-FU, ADM and MTX was significantly enhanced compared to parental sensitive SGC7901 cells. Ad-IL-24-induced IL-24 overexpression decreased the IC50 of the above agents (not MTX), induced G2/M cell cycle arrest, and Ad-IL-24 plus CDDP elicited significant apoptosis and tumor suppression of SGC7901/CDDP cells in vitro and SGC7901/CDDP cell xenograft tumors in vivo, respectively. Moreover, our results demonstrated that the mechanisms of Ad-IL-24-elicited chemosensitizing effects were closely associated with a substantial upregulation of Bax and downregulation of P-gp and Bcl-2 in SGC7901/CDDP cells in vitro and SGC7901/CDDP xenograft tissues in vivo. Thus, this study indicates that overexpression of IL-24 gene can significantly promote chemosensitivity in MDR phenotype SGC7901

Diagnostic value of urinary CK-20 RNA and VEGF in bladder cancer ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The present study was carried out to evaluate the diagnostic value of urinary cytokeratin 20 (CK-20) RNA and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in comparison with urine cytology in the detection of bladder cancer. This study included 80 patients with bladder cancer, 20 patients with bilharzial bladder lesions and 20 ...

CD24 cross-linking induces apoptosis in, and inhibits migration of, MCF-7 breast cancer cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Jong Bin; Bae, Ji-Yeon; Jee, Hyeon-Gun; Noh, Dong-Young; Ko, Eunyoung; Han, Wonshik; Lee, Jeong Eon; Lee, Kyung-Min; Shin, Incheol; Kim, Sangmin; Lee, Jong Won; Cho, Jihyoung

2008-01-01

The biological effects of CD24 (FL-80) cross-linking on breast cancer cells have not yet been established. We examined the impact of CD24 cross-linking on human breast cancer cell line MCF-7. MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells were treated with anti-rabbit polyclonal IgG or anti-human CD24 rabbit polyclonal antibodies to induce cross-linking, and then growth was studied. Changes in cell characteristics such as cell cycle modulation, cell death, survival in three-dimensional cultures, adhesion, and migration ability were assayed after CD24 cross-linking in MCF-7. Expression of CD24 was analyzed by flow cytometry in MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 cells where 2% and 66% expression frequencies were observed, respectively. CD24 cross-linking resulted in time-dependent proliferation reduction in MCF-7 cells, but no reduction in MDA-MB-231 cells. MCF-7 cell survival was reduced by 15% in three-dimensional culture after CD24 cross-linking. Increased MCF-7 cell apoptosis was observed after CD24 cross-linking, but no cell cycle arrest was observed in that condition. The migration capacity of MCF-7 cells was diminished by 30% after CD24 cross-linking. Our results showed that CD24 cross-linking induced apoptosis and inhibited migration in MCF-7 breast cancer cells. We conclude that CD24 may be considered as a novel therapeutic target for breast cancer

Patterns of the non-indigenous isopod Cirolana harfordi in Sydney Harbour.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ana B Bugnot

Full Text Available Biological introductions can alter the ecology of local assemblages and are an important driver of global environmental change. The first step towards understanding the impact of a non-indigenous species is to study its distribution and associations in the invaded area. In Sydney Harbour, the non-indigenous isopod Cirolana harfordi has been reported in densities up to 0.5 individuals per cm(2 in mussel-beds. Abundances of this species have, however, been largely overlooked in other key habitats. The first aim of this study was to evaluate the abundances and distribution of C. harfordi across different habitats representative of Sydney Harbour. Results showed that C. harfordi occurred in oyster and mussel-beds, being particularly abundant in oyster-beds. We also aimed to determine the role of C. harfordi as a predator, scavenger and detritus feeder by investigating the relationships between densities of C. harfordi and (i the structure of the resident assemblages, and (ii deposited organic matter in oyster-beds. Densities of C. harfordi were not related to the structure of the assemblages, nor amounts of deposited organic matter. These findings suggested little or no ecological impacts of C. harfordi in oyster-beds. These relationships may, however, affect other variables such as growth of individuals, or be disguised by high variability of assemblages among different locations. Future studies should, therefore, test the impacts of C. harfordi on the size of organisms in the assemblage and use manipulative experiments to control for spatial variation. This study is the first published work on the ecology of the invasion of C. harfordi and provides the starting-point for the study of the impacts of this species in Sydney Harbour.

A tale of three cities: decarbonising Auckland, Sydney and Christchurch and consequences for other cities around the world

OpenAIRE

Byrd, Hugh

2012-01-01

Sydney and Auckland have similar climates, cultures and urban form. However, methods for reducing carbon emissions and energy use are completely different. Auckland has low carbon buildings due to the large proportion of renewable energy in the electricity supply. However, it is a car dependent city and lacks resilience in transport energy. Sydney has high carbon buildings due to the large proportion of coal used to generate electricity. However, its public transport system is more resilient ...

Breast cancer in Mongolia: an increasingly important health policy issue

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Demchig D

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Delgermaa Demchig, Claudia Mello-Thoms, Patrick C Brennan Medical Image Optimization and Perception Group (MIOPeG, Faculty of Health Science, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia Abstract: Breast cancer is a leading cause of cancer-related death for women in both developed and developing countries. The incidence and mortality of breast cancer in Mongolia, while low compared with other counties, has been increasing on an annual basis. In addition, in Mongolia, approximately 90% of the patients are diagnosed at a late stage, resulting in high mortality, with the majority of individuals diagnosed with breast cancer dying within 5 years of diagnosis. Breast cancer screening plays an important role in reducing mortality in Western countries and has been adopted by a number of Asian countries; however, no such approach exists in Mongolia. In a country of limited resources, implementation of expensive health strategies such as screening requires effective allocations of resources and the identification of the most effective imaging methods. This requirement relies on recent accurate data; however, at this time, there is a paucity of information around breast cancer in Mongolia. Until data around features of the disease are available, effective strategies to diagnose breast cancer that recognize the economic climate in Mongolia cannot be implemented and the impact of breast cancer is likely to increase. Keywords: incidence, mortality, breast screening, Mongolia

Cognitive lifestyle in older persons: the population-based Sydney Memory and Ageing Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Valenzuela, Michael J; Leon, Irene; Suo, Chao; Piamba, Diana Martinez; Kochan, Nicole; Brodaty, Henry; Sachdev, Perminder

2013-01-01

Cognitive lifestyle may be an important modifiable risk factor for dementia but has not yet been comprehensively studied in healthy elderly. To examine gender- and lifespan-related differences in cognitive lifestyle in a population-based cohort. 872 individuals from the second wave of the Sydney Memory and Ageing Study (MAS) cohort were invited to complete the Lifetime of Experiences Questionnaire (LEQ), a validated measure of cognitive lifestyle. Of 555 questionnaires returned (64%), 253 were excluded due to prior diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment, leaving n = 302 cognitively-intact elders (mean age 80.1 years, ±SD 4.7, 40.1% men). Total LEQ was significantly higher in men (97.9 ± 20.0) than women (90.0 ± 24.5), resulting mainly from midlife LEQ differences. Men were more likely to have worked in managerial or professional jobs (73.8% versus 39.5% women), and twice as likely to have supervised large groups of workers. In late life, women were significantly more likely to be living alone (68.1% versus 25.4% men), but otherwise significantly more engaged in specific cognitive activities, including reading novels (72.3% versus 52.0% men) and incorporating volunteer work (31.9% versus 19.7% men) and socializing (59.0% versus 37.0% men) into their typical day. Over the adult lifespan, it was more common for men and women to transition between LEQ tertiles than remain the same. Cognitive lifestyle changes over the adult lifespan and exhibits a range of gender-based differences. While older women are more likely to be living alone they generally lead a more active current cognitive lifestyle.

Study of the 28Si(16O,20Ne)24Mg reaction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Portezan Filho, O.

1988-01-01

In this work, measurements of elastic and inelastic angular distributions in the system 16 O+ 20 Si and in the alpha transfer reactions 20 Si( 16 O, 20 Ne) 24 Mg were made in the angular range of 20 0 0 and the transfer reaction 20 Si( 16 O, 12 C) 32 S in the angular range 16 0 0 at the energy of E cm = 31.57 MeV. Optical potential parameters and β 2 deformation parameters as well as spectroscopic factors were determined for the alpha transfer reactions. (A.C.A.S.) [pt

24 CFR 84.20 - Purpose of financial and program management.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... and Program Management § 84.20 Purpose of financial and program management. Sections 84.21 through 84.28 prescribe standards for financial management systems, methods for making payments and rules for... 24 Housing and Urban Development 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Purpose of financial and program...

File list: His.Pan.20.AllAg.Pancreatic_cancer_cells [Chip-atlas[Archive

Lifescience Database Archive (English)

Full Text Available His.Pan.20.AllAg.Pancreatic_cancer_cells mm9 Histone Pancreas Pancreatic cancer cel...ls http://dbarchive.biosciencedbc.jp/kyushu-u/mm9/assembled/His.Pan.20.AllAg.Pancreatic_cancer_cells.bed ...

Combustion behaviour of Sydney and Bowen Basin coals determined by thermogravimetry

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Benfell, K.E.; Beamish, B.B.; Rodgers, K.A.; Crosdale, P.J. [University of Auckland, Auckland (New Zealand). Department of Geology

1996-08-01

Assesses the suitability of thermogravimetric (TG) and derivative thermogravimetric (DTG) analysis techniques to characterise the combustion behaviour of Sydney and Bowen basin coals. Results indicate that the thermogravimetric technique is suitable for characterising the effects of rank, maceral, sub-maceral and seam variations on the combustion behaviour of these coals. 6 refs., 6 figs., 2 tabs.

Emerging contaminants (pharmaceuticals, personal care products, a food additive and pesticides) in waters of Sydney estuary, Australia.

Science.gov (United States)

Birch, G F; Drage, D S; Thompson, K; Eaglesham, G; Mueller, J F

2015-08-15

The current investigation of marine water from 30 sites adjacent to stormwater outlets across the entire Sydney estuary is the first such research in Australia. The number of analytes detected were: 8/59 pharmaceutical compounds (codeine, paracetamol, tramadol, venlafaxine, propranolol, fluoxetine, iopromide and carbamazepine), 7/38 of the pesticides (2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), 3,4-dichloroaniline, carbaryl, diuron, 2-methyl-4-chlorophenoxyacetic acid (MCPA), mecoprop and simazine) and 0/3 of the personal care products (PCPs) analysed. An artificial sweetener (acesulfame) was detected, however none of the nine antibiotics analysed were identified. Sewage water is not discharged to this estuary, except infrequently as overflow during high-precipitation events. The presence of acesulfame (a recognised marker of domestic wastewater) and pharmaceuticals in water from all parts of the estuary after a dry period, suggests sewage water is leaking into the stormwater system in this catchment. The pesticides are applied to the environment and were discharged via stormwater to the estuary. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

File list: DNS.Pan.20.AllAg.Pancreatic_cancer_cells [Chip-atlas[Archive

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Full Text Available DNS.Pan.20.AllAg.Pancreatic_cancer_cells mm9 DNase-seq Pancreas Pancreatic cancer c...ells http://dbarchive.biosciencedbc.jp/kyushu-u/mm9/assembled/DNS.Pan.20.AllAg.Pancreatic_cancer_cells.bed ...

File list: DNS.Prs.20.AllAg.Prostate_cancer_cells [Chip-atlas[Archive

Lifescience Database Archive (English)

Full Text Available DNS.Prs.20.AllAg.Prostate_cancer_cells hg19 DNase-seq Prostate Prostate cancer cell...s http://dbarchive.biosciencedbc.jp/kyushu-u/hg19/assembled/DNS.Prs.20.AllAg.Prostate_cancer_cells.bed ...

Metal and PAH concentrations in fruit of Vaccinium angustifolium Ait. (Lowbush Blueberry) : a comparison among Whitney Pier, North Sydney and supermarket

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hale, B. [Guelph Univ., ON (Canada). Dept. of Land Resource Science

2004-07-01

The concentration of various metals in the fruit harvested from Lowbush blueberry plants in Whitney Pier, Sydney, Nova Scotia (NS), North Sydney (NS) and supermarket were quantified in this report. The concentrations were compared among the 3 sources to determine whether the metal and Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) concentrations in the blueberries from Whitney Pier were higher or lower compared to the reference blueberries from North Sydney and the supermarket. Mean values for each of the analytes were compared using analysis of variance (ANOVA). The study determined whether washed berries have lower concentrations of contaminants than unwashed berries. The risk to human health of exposure to metals and PAHs through consumption of blueberry samples was also calculated. It was concluded that concentrations of selenium and zinc are elevated in blueberries from Whitney Pier compared to berries from North Sydney and the supermarket, but are well within safe levels. Other elements such as arsenic, titanium, vanadium, lead, copper and molybdenum were similar, and only thallium was elevated in supermarket berries relative to those from Whitney Pier and North Sydney. Chromium was not detected in any samples. It was determined that there was no risk to human health from exposure to any of the metals analyzed, regardless of whether they were Whitney Pier samples or reference samples. Only 2 PAHs were detected in one of the unwashed samples from Whitney Pier. No PAHs were found in washed berries or unwashed berries from the supermarket or North Sydney. It was concluded that there was no risk to human health from exposure to any of the PAHs. Washed and unwashed samples had similar metal concentrations, indicating that surface contamination did not occur. A full methodology of the testing program was provided. 11 refs., 7 tabs., 2 figs.

CD133+CD24lo defines a 5-Fluorouracil-resistant colon cancer stem cell-like phenotype

Science.gov (United States)

Paschall, Amy V.; Yang, Dafeng; Lu, Chunwan; Redd, Priscilla S.; Choi, Jeong-Hyeon; Heaton, Christopher M.; Lee, Jeffrey R.; Nayak-Kapoor, Asha; Liu, Kebin

2016-01-01

The chemotherapeutic agent 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) is the most commonly used drug for patients with advanced colon cancer. However, development of resistance to 5-FU is inevitable in almost all patients. The mechanism by which colon cancer develops 5-FU resistance is still unclear. One recently proposed theory is that cancer stem-like cells underlie colon cancer 5-FU resistance, but the phenotypes of 5-FU-resistant colon cancer stem cells are still controversial. We report here that 5-FU treatment selectively enriches a subset of CD133+ colon cancer cells in vitro. 5-FU chemotherapy also increases CD133+ tumor cells in human colon cancer patients. However, sorted CD133+ colon cancer cells exhibit no increased resistance to 5-FU, and CD133 levels exhibit no correlation with colon cancer patient survival or cancer recurrence. Genome-wide analysis of gene expression between sorted CD133+ colon cancer cells and 5-FU-selected colon cancer cells identifies 207 differentially expressed genes. CD24 is one of the genes whose expression level is lower in the CD133+ and 5-FU-resistant colon cancer cells as compared to CD133+ and 5-FU-sensitive colon cancer cells. Consequently, CD133+CD24lo cells exhibit decreased sensitivity to 5-FU. Therefore, we determine that CD133+CD24lo phenotype defines 5-FU-resistant human colon cancer stem cell-like cells. PMID:27659530

Psychometric validation of the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire-Endometrial Cancer Module (EORTC QLQ-EN24)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Greimel, Elfriede; Nordin, Andy; Lanceley, Anne

2011-01-01

A validation study was conducted to evaluate the psychometric properties of the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Quality of Life Questionnaire-Endometrial Cancer Module (EORTC QLQ-EN24). This module was designed to assess disease and treatment specific aspects of...... of the quality of life (QoL) of patients with endometrial cancer.......A validation study was conducted to evaluate the psychometric properties of the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Quality of Life Questionnaire-Endometrial Cancer Module (EORTC QLQ-EN24). This module was designed to assess disease and treatment specific aspects...

CO2 emissions from a temperate drowned river valley estuary adjacent to an emerging megacity (Sydney Harbour)

Science.gov (United States)

Tanner, E. L.; Mulhearn, P. J.; Eyre, B. D.

2017-06-01

The Sydney Harbour Estuary is a large drowned river valley adjacent to Sydney, a large urban metropolis on track to become a megacity; estimated to reach a population of 10 million by 2100. Monthly underway surveys of surface water pCO2 were undertaken along the main channel and tributaries, from January to December 2013. pCO2 showed substantial spatio-temporal variability in the narrow high residence time upper and mid sections of the estuary, with values reaching a maximum of 5650 μatm in the upper reaches and as low as 173 μatm in the mid estuary section, dominated by respiration and photosynthesis respectively. The large lower estuary displayed less variability in pCO2 with values ranging from 343 to 544 μatm controlled mainly by tidal pumping and temperature. Air-water CO2 emissions reached a maximum of 181 mmol C m-2 d-1 during spring in the eutrophic upper estuary. After a summer high rainfall event nutrient-stimulated biological pumping promoted a large uptake of CO2 transitioning the Sydney Harbour Estuary into a CO2 sink with a maximum uptake of rate of -10.6 mmol C m-2 d-1 in the mid-section of the estuary. Annually the Sydney Harbour Estuary was heterotrophic and a weak source of CO2 with an air-water emission rate of 1.2-5 mmol C m-2 d-1 (0.4-1.8 mol C m-2 y-1) resulting in a total carbon emission of around 930 tonnes per annum. CO2 emissions (weighted m3 s-1 of discharge per km2 of estuary surface area) from Sydney Harbour were an order of magnitude lower than other temperate large tectonic deltas, lagoons and engineered systems of China, India, Taiwan and Europe but were similar to other natural drowned river valley systems in the USA. Discharge per unit area appears to be a good predictor of CO2 emissions from estuaries of a similar climate and geomorphic class.

Renal biopsy pathology in a cohort of patients from southwest Sydney with clinically diagnosed systemic lupus erythematosus

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yong JL

2013-02-01

Full Text Available Jim LC Yong,1,2 Murray C Killingsworth,1–3 Ken Lai1,21Department of Anatomical Pathology, Sydney South West Pathology Service, 2University of Western Sydney, School of Medicine, 3University of New South Wales, Faculty of Medicine, Sydney, New South Wales, AustraliaPurpose: The pathological manifestations in the kidneys in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE are commonly known as lupus nephritis. We have studied the pathological changes in renal biopsies from 59 cases of clinically diagnosed SLE obtained over a 15-year period from a racially diverse population in the Sydney metropolitan area. Our aim was to see if there was any regional variation in the morphological changes.Methods: Renal biopsy changes were assessed by routine light, immunofluorescence, and electron microscopy. We used the modified 1974 World Health Organization classification of lupus nephritis to classify cases into six classes. Disease severity was assessed by age, sex, and across racial groups, including Caucasian, Asian, Middle Eastern, Mediterranean, Indian subcontinental, South American, and Pacific Islander.Results: Our analysis showed that cases of lupus nephritis contributed 5.4% of our total renal biopsies examined over a 15-year period. The overall incidence of biopsy-proven cases was 0.49 per 100,000 per year. The ages of our patients ranged from 10 to 79 years, with most below 50 years of age. A female to male ratio was determined to be 4.4:1. There was no relationship to ethnicity, nor was there a relationship between any of these parameters and the class or severity of disease.Conclusion: Renal biopsy with multimodal morphological and immunohistochemical analysis remains the gold standard for diagnosis and determination of the level of disease in lupus nephritis. Based on this approach we have identified an incidence rate for southwest Sydney that is slightly higher but comparable to that found in a similar study from the United Kingdom. We also found that there

File list: His.Brs.20.AllAg.Breast_cancer_cells [Chip-atlas[Archive

Lifescience Database Archive (English)

Full Text Available His.Brs.20.AllAg.Breast_cancer_cells hg19 Histone Breast Breast cancer cells SRX102...3529,SRX1023530 http://dbarchive.biosciencedbc.jp/kyushu-u/hg19/assembled/His.Brs.20.AllAg.Breast_cancer_cells.bed ...

Ureaplasma urealyticum is significantly associated with non-gonococcal urethritis in heterosexual Sydney men.

Science.gov (United States)

Couldwell, D L; Gidding, H F; Freedman, E V; McKechnie, M L; Biggs, K; Sintchenko, V; Gilbert, G L

2010-05-01

We investigated the prevalence of various genital organisms in 268 men with (cases) and 237 men without (controls) urethral symptoms/signs (urethral discharge, dysuria and/or urethral irritation) from two sexual health clinics in Sydney between April 2006 and November 2007. The presence of urethral symptoms/signs was defined as non-gonococcal urethritis (NGU) for this study. Specific aims were to investigate the role of Ureaplasma urealyticum in NGU and the prevalence of Mycoplasma genitalium in our population. Multiplex polymerase chain reaction-based reverse line blot (mPCR/RLB) assay was performed to detect 14 recognized or putative genital pathogens, including Chlamydia trachomatis, M. genitalium, U. urealyticum and U. parvum. U. urealyticum was associated with NGU in men without another urethral pathogen (odds ratio [OR] 2.0, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.1-3.8; P = 0.04); this association remained after controlling for potential confounding by age and history of unprotected vaginal sex in the last four weeks (OR 2.0, 95% CI: 1.1-3.9; P = 0.03). C. trachomatis (OR 7.5, P urethral pathogens. Further research should investigate the role of U. urealyticum subtypes among heterosexual men with NGU.

Smoking among Aboriginal adults in Sydney, Australia.

Science.gov (United States)

Arjunan, Punitha; Poder, Natasha; Welsh, Kerry; Bellear, LaVerne; Heathcote, Jeremy; Wright, Darryl; Millen, Elizabeth; Spinks, Mark; Williams, Mandy; Wen, Li Ming

2016-04-01

Issue addressed Tobacco consumption contributes to health disparities among Aboriginal Australians who experience a greater burden of smoking-related death and diseases. This paper reports findings from a baseline survey on factors associated with smoking, cessation behaviours and attitudes towards smoke-free homes among the Aboriginal population in inner and south-western Sydney. Methods A baseline survey was conducted in inner and south-western Sydney from October 2010 to July 2011. The survey applied both interviewer-administered and self-administered data collection methods. Multiple logistic regression was performed to determine the factors associated with smoking. Results Six hundred and sixty-three participants completed the survey. The majority were female (67.5%), below the age of 50 (66.6%) and more than half were employed (54.7%). Almost half were current smokers (48.4%) with the majority intending to quit in the next 6 months (79.0%) and living in a smoke-free home (70.4%). Those aged 30-39 years (AOR 3.28; 95% CI: 2.06-5.23) and the unemployed (AOR 1.67; 95% CI: 1.11-2.51) had higher odds for current smoking. Participants who had a more positive attitude towards smoke-free homes were less likely to smoke (AOR 0.79; 95% CI: 0.74-.85). Conclusions A high proportion of participants were current smokers among whom intention to quit was high. Age, work status and attitudes towards smoke-free home were factors associated with smoking. So what? The findings address the scarcity of local evidence crucial for promoting cessation among Aboriginal tobacco smokers. Targeted promotions for socio-demographic subgroups and of attitudes towards smoke-free homes could be meaningful strategies for future smoking-cessation initiatives.

Proteomic profiling of mammary carcinomas identifies C7orf24, a gamma-glutamyl cyclotransferase, as a potential cancer biomarker

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gromov, Pavel; Gromova, Irina; Friis, Esbern

2010-01-01

Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in women today and is the most common cancer (excluding skin cancers) among women in the Western world. Although cancers detected by screening mammography are significantly smaller than nonscreening ones, noninvasive biomarkers for detection......, and a novel protein, C7orf24, was identified as being upregulated in cancer cells. Protein expression levels of C7orf24 were evaluated by immunohistochemical assays to qualify deregulation of this protein. Analysis of C7orf24 expression showed up-regulation in 36.4 and 23.4% of cases present in the discovery...

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File list: Oth.Prs.20.AllAg.Prostate_cancer_cells [Chip-atlas[Archive

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File list: His.Prs.20.AllAg.Prostate_cancer_cells [Chip-atlas[Archive

Lifescience Database Archive (English)

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File list: InP.Dig.20.AllAg.Colon_cancer [Chip-atlas[Archive

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File list: Oth.Brs.20.AllAg.Breast_cancer_cells [Chip-atlas[Archive

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Lung Cancer Risk and Demographic Characteristics of Current 20-29 Pack-year Smokers: Implications for Screening.

Science.gov (United States)

Pinsky, Paul F; Kramer, Barnett S

2015-11-01

Based on current recommendations, 30+ pack-years of smoking are required for eligibility for low-dose CT (LDCT) lung cancer screening; former smokers must have quit within 15 years. We investigated whether current smokers with 20 to 29 pack-years have similar lung cancer risks as eligible former smokers and also whether they have a different demographic profile. The Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian Cancer Screening Trial (PLCO) was a randomly assigned screening trial of subjects age 55 to 74 years with chest radiographs (CXR) used for lung cancer. Subjects completed a baseline questionnaire containing smoking history questions. Cox proportional hazards models, adjusted for age and sex, were utilized to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) for various smoking history groups. Next, we utilized the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), which inquired about smoking history and race/ethnicity, to analyze the demographic profiles of various high-risk smoking history categories. All statistical tests were two-sided. The PLCO cohort included 18 114 former and 12 243 current LDCT-eligible smokers, plus 2283 20- to 29-pack-year current smokers. The hazard ratio for 20- to 29-pack-year current smokers compared with eligible (30+ pack-year) former smokers was 1.07 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.75 to 1.5). Based on the NHIS, 10 million persons in the United States are currently LDCT eligible; an additional 1.6 million (16%, 95% CI = 13.6% to 19.0%) are 20- to 29-pack-year current smokers. The percentage increase in eligibles if 20- to 29-pack-year current smokers were included was substantially greater for women than men (22.2%, 95% CI = 17.9% to 26.7%; vs 12.2%, 95% CI = 9.3% to 15.3%, P non-Hispanic whites (30.0%, 95% CI = 24.2% to 36.0%; vs 14.1%, 95% CI = 11.1% to 17.0%, P smokers should be assessed. Published by Oxford University Press 2015. This work is written by (a) US Government employee(s) and is in the public domain in the US.

The impact of heat on mortality and morbidity in the Greater Metropolitan Sydney Region: a case crossover analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Wilson, Leigh Ann; Morgan, Geoffrey Gerard; Hanigan, Ivan Charles; Johnston, Fay H; Abu-Rayya, Hisham; Broome, Richard; Gaskin, Clive; Jalaludin, Bin

2013-11-15

This study examined the association between unusually high temperature and daily mortality (1997-2007) and hospital admissions (1997-2010) in the Sydney Greater Metropolitan Region (GMR) to assist in the development of targeted health programs designed to minimise the public health impact of extreme heat. Sydney GMR was categorized into five climate zones. Heat-events were defined as severe or extreme. Using a time-stratified case-crossover design with a conditional logistic regression model we adjusted for influenza epidemics, public holidays, and climate zone. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals were estimated for associations between daily mortality and hospital admissions with heat-event days compared to non-heat event days for single and three day heat-events. All-cause mortality overall had similar magnitude associations with single day and three day extreme and severe events as did all cardiovascular mortality. Respiratory mortality was associated with single day and three day severe events (95th percentile, lag0: OR = 1.14; 95%CI: 1.04 to 1.24). Diabetes mortality had similar magnitude associations with single day and three day severe events (95th percentile, lag0: OR = 1.22; 95%CI: 1.03 to 1.46) but was not associated with extreme events. Hospital admissions for heat related injuries, dehydration, and other fluid disorders were associated with single day and three day extreme and severe events. Contrary to our findings for mortality, we found inconsistent and sometimes inverse associations for extreme and severe events with cardiovascular disease and respiratory disease hospital admissions. Controlling for air pollutants did not influence the mortality associations but reduced the magnitude of the associations with hospital admissions particularly for ozone and respiratory disease. Single and three day events of unusually high temperatures in Sydney are associated with similar magnitude increases in mortality and hospital admissions. The trend

Traveling to Australia for the Sydney 2000 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Science.gov (United States)

Shaw, M; Leggat, P A

2000-01-01

The modern Olympic Games, conducted only once every 4 years since 1900, will be held in Sydney, Australia, from September 15 to October 1, 2000. There will be approximately 35 competition venues, 5 villages, 100 training venues, a media center, and sponsor hospitality areas.1 There will be about 300 events for 28 sports, involving 10,300 athletes from 200 countries, 5,100 team officials, 50,000 volunteers, 15,000 media, a world wide audience of around 3.5 billion viewers and listeners, and up to several hundred-thousand spectators at any one time.1 The Paralympic Games will also be held in Sydney, after the Olympic Games, from October 18 to 29, 2000, with more than 4,000 athletes competing.1 This paper focuses on health and safety issues for travelers to Australia in general, although it makes specific references to advice for visiting Olympic and Paralympic athletes and team staff, who will be traveling to the games. It must be remembered that travel health advice can change, and that travelers should be advised to seek up-to-date travel health advice for Australia closer to their departure.

Gene expression analysis supports tumor threshold over 2.0 cm for T-category breast cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Solvang, Hiroko K; Frigessi, Arnoldo; Kaveh, Fateme; Riis, Margit L H; Lüders, Torben; Bukholm, Ida R K; Kristensen, Vessela N; Andreassen, Bettina K

2016-12-01

Tumor size, as indicated by the T-category, is known as a strong prognostic indicator for breast cancer. It is common practice to distinguish the T1 and T2 groups at a tumor size of 2.0 cm. We investigated the 2.0-cm rule from a new point of view. Here, we try to find the optimal threshold based on the differences between the gene expression profiles of the T1 and T2 groups (as defined by the threshold). We developed a numerical algorithm to measure the overall differential gene expression between patients with smaller tumors and those with larger tumors among multiple expression datasets from different studies. We confirmed the performance of the proposed algorithm by a simulation study and then applied it to three different studies conducted at two Norwegian hospitals. We found that the maximum difference in gene expression is obtained at a threshold of 2.2-2.4 cm, and we confirmed that the optimum threshold was over 2.0 cm, as indicated by a validation study using five publicly available expression datasets. Furthermore, we observed a significant differentiation between the two threshold groups in terms of time to local recurrence for the Norwegian datasets. In addition, we performed an associated network and canonical pathway analyses for the genes differentially expressed between tumors below and above the given thresholds, 2.0 and 2.4 cm, using the Norwegian datasets. The associated network function illustrated a cellular assembly of the genes for the 2.0-cm threshold: an energy production for the 2.4-cm threshold and an enrichment in lipid metabolism based on the genes in the intersection for the 2.0- and 2.4-cm thresholds.

[Variations in a 24-year period of colorectal and gastric cancer in Mexico].

Science.gov (United States)

González Trujillo, José Luis; Vargas, Florencia; Torres Villalobos, Gonzalo; Milke, Pilar; Villalobos Pérez, José de Jesús

2003-01-01

Gastric cancer (CG) and colorectal cancer (CCR) are the two most common neoplasms of the digestive system in the world. We performed a study to determine incidence and relation between CG and CCR in five hospitals in Mexico City. Patients with admitted diagnosis of CG and CCR at Hospital General de Mexico, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán, Hospital Español de México, Centro Médico Nacional "20 de Noviembre" from the Instituto de Salud y Seguridad Social para Trabajadores del Estado, and Hospital Central Militar from January 1978 to December 2001 were studied. A total of 7,136 patients were studied. (CG 3,830, CCR 3,306). At Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición "Salvador Zubirán" CG was the most common digestive neoplasm; from 1999, ratio was inverted to 2, and later had an average of 1.31. For Hospital Español, ratio always was Nacional "20 de Noviembre", initially CCR was more frequent, then CG, and finally CCR. At Hospital Central Militar ratio was constant, > CG. At the beginning, was global behavior > CG, ratio seemed to invert, but since 1998 CG/CCR ratio was < 1 and continued that way. In this study, we found that changes of CG/CCR ratio in a period of 24 years showed elevation of CCR incidence at five Mexican hospitals.

Patterns of Occurrence of Sharks in Sydney Harbour, a Large Urbanised Estuary.

Science.gov (United States)

Smoothey, Amy F; Gray, Charles A; Kennelly, Steve J; Masens, Oliver J; Peddemors, Victor M; Robinson, Wayne A

2016-01-01

Information about spatial and temporal variability in the distribution and abundance of shark-populations are required for their conservation, management and to update measures designed to mitigate human-shark interactions. However, because some species of sharks are mobile, migratory and occur in relatively small numbers, estimating their patterns of distribution and abundance can be very difficult. In this study, we used a hierarchical sampling design to examine differences in the composition of species, size- and sex-structures of sharks sampled with bottom-set longlines in three different areas with increasing distance from the entrance of Sydney Harbour, a large urbanised estuary. During two years of sampling, we obtained data for four species of sharks (Port Jackson, Heterodontus portusjacksoni; wobbegong, Orectolobus maculatus; dusky whaler, Carcharhinus obscurus and bull shark, Carcharhinus leucas). Only a few O. maculatus and C. obscurus were caught, all in the area closest to the entrance of the Harbour. O. maculatus were caught in all seasons, except summer, while C. obscurus was only caught in summer. Heterodontus portusjacksoni were the most abundant species, caught in the entrance location mostly between July to November, when water temperature was below 21.5°C. This pattern was consistent across both years. C. leucas, the second most abundant species, were captured in all areas of Sydney Harbour but only in summer and autumn when water temperatures were above 23°C. This study quantified, for this first time, how different species utilise different areas of Sydney Harbour, at different times of the year. This information has implications for the management of human-shark interactions, by enabling creation of education programs to modify human behaviour in times of increased risk of potentially dangerous sharks.

Psychometric validation of the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire-Endometrial Cancer Module (EORTC QLQ-EN24).

Science.gov (United States)

Greimel, Elfriede; Nordin, Andy; Lanceley, Anne; Creutzberg, Carien L; van de Poll-Franse, Lonneke V; Radisic, Vesna Bjelic; Galalae, Razvan; Schmalz, Claudia; Barlow, Ellen; Jensen, Pernille T; Waldenström, Ann-Charlotte; Bergmark, Karin; Chie, Wei-Chu; Kuljanic, Karin; Costantini, Anna; Singer, Susanne; Koensgen, Dominique; Menon, Usha; Daghofer, Fedor

2011-01-01

A validation study was conducted to evaluate the psychometric properties of the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Quality of Life Questionnaire-Endometrial Cancer Module (EORTC QLQ-EN24). This module was designed to assess disease and treatment specific aspects of the quality of life (QoL) of patients with endometrial cancer. Two hundred and sixty-eight women with endometrial cancer were recruited in different phases of treatment: after pelvic surgery (Group 1); during adjuvant chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy (Group 2); after completion of treatment (Group 3). Patients completed the EORTC QLQ-C30, the endometrial cancer module and a short debriefing questionnaire. Multi-trait scaling analyses confirmed the hypothesised scale structure of the QLQ-EN24. Internal consistency reliability was good with Cronbach's alpha coefficients ranging from 0.74 to 0.86 (lymphoedema 0.80, urological symptoms 0.75, gastrointestinal symptoms 0.74, body image problems 0.86 and sexual/vaginal problems 0.86). Convergent and discriminant validity did not show any scaling errors for the subscales. The QLQ-EN24 module discriminated well between clinically different groups of patients. All items exhibited a high completion rate with less than 2% missing values except for the sexuality items (19%). The validation study supports the reliability, the convergent and divergent validity of the EORTC QLQ-EN24. This newly developed QLQ-EN24 module is a useful instrument for the assessment of the QoL in patients treated for endometrial cancer in clinical trials. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

8q24 rs6983267G variant is associated with increased thyroid cancer risk

Science.gov (United States)

Sahasrabudhe, Ruta; Estrada, Ana; Lott, Paul; Martin, Lynn; Echeverry, Guadalupe Polanco; Velez, Alejandro; Neta, Gila; Takahasi, Meiko; Saenko, Vladimir; Mitsutake, Norisato; Jaeguer, Emma; Duque, Carlos Simon; Rios, Alejandro; Bohorquez, Mabel; Prieto, Rodrigo; Criollo, Angel; Echeverry, Magdalena; Tomlinson, Ian; Carvajal Carmona, Luis G.

2015-01-01

The G allele of the rs6983267 single nucleotide polymorphism, located on chromosome 8q24, has been associated with increased risk of several cancer types. The association between rs6983267G and thyroid cancer has been tested in different populations, mostly of European ancestry, and has led to inconclusive results. While significant associations have been reported in the British and Polish populations, no association has been detected in populations from Spain, Italy and the USA. To further investigate the role of rs6983267G in thyroid cancer susceptibility, we evaluated rs6983267 genotypes in three populations of different continental ancestry (British Isles, Colombia and Japan), providing a total of 3,067 cases and 8,575 controls. We detected significant associations between rs6983267G and thyroid cancer in the British Isles (Odds Ratio, OR= 1.19, 95% confidence interval, CI: 1.11–1.27, P= 4.03 × 10−7), Japan (OR= 1.20, 95% CI: 1.03–1.41, P= 0.022) and a borderline significant association of similar effect direction and size in Colombia (OR= 1.19, 95% CI: 0.99–1.44, P= 0.069). A meta-analysis of our multi-ethnic study and previously published non-overlapping datasets, which included a total of 5,484 cases and 12,594 controls, confirmed the association between rs6983267G and thyroid cancer (P= 1.23 × 10−7, OR= 1.13, 95% CI: 1.07–1.18). Our results therefore support the notion that rs6983267G is a bona fide thyroid cancer risk variant that increases the risk of disease by ~13%. PMID:26290501

An objective index of walkability for research and planning in the Sydney metropolitan region of New South Wales, Australia: an ecological study.

Science.gov (United States)

Mayne, Darren J; Morgan, Geoffrey G; Willmore, Alan; Rose, Nectarios; Jalaludin, Bin; Bambrick, Hilary; Bauman, Adrian

2013-12-24

Walkability describes the capacity of the built environment to support walking for various purposes. This paper describes the construction and validation of two objective walkability indexes for Sydney, Australia. Walkability indexes using residential density, intersection density, land use mix, with and without retail floor area ratio were calculated for 5,858 Sydney Census Collection Districts in a geographical information system. Associations between variables were evaluated using Spearman's rho (ρ). Internal consistency and factor structure of indexes were estimated with Cronbach's alpha and principal components analysis; convergent and predictive validity were measured using weighted kappa (κw) and by comparison with reported walking to work at the 2006 Australian Census using logistic regression. Spatial variation in walkability was assessed using choropleth maps and Moran's I. A three-attribute abridged Sydney Walkability Index comprising residential density, intersection density and land use mix was constructed for all Sydney as retail floor area was only available for 5.3% of Census Collection Districts. A four-attribute full index including retail floor area ratio was calculated for 263 Census Collection Districts in the Sydney Central Business District. Abridged and full walkability index scores for these 263 areas were strongly correlated (ρ=0.93) and there was good agreement between walkability quartiles (κw=0.73). Internal consistency ranged from 0.60 to 0.71, and all index variables loaded highly on a single factor. The percentage of employed persons who walked to work increased with increasing walkability: 3.0% in low income-low walkability areas versus 7.9% in low income-high walkability areas; and 2.1% in high income-low walkability areas versus 11% in high income-high walkability areas. The adjusted odds of walking to work were 1.05 (0.96-1.15), 1.58 (1.45-1.71) and 3.02 (2.76-3.30) times higher in medium, high and very high compared to low

CXCL5 knockdown expression inhibits human bladder cancer T24 cells proliferation and migration

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zheng, Jiajia [Department of Laboratory Medicine, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing (China); Zhu, Xi [Department of Urology, Beijing Friendship Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University, Beijing (China); Zhang, Jie, E-mail: zhangjiebjmu@163.com [Department of Laboratory Medicine, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing (China)

2014-03-28

Highlights: • We first demonstrated CXCL5 is highly expressed in human bladder tumor tissues and cells. • CXCL5 knockdown inhibits proliferation, migration and promotes apoptosis in T24 cells. • CXCL5 knockdown inhibits Snail, PI3K-AKT and ERK1/2 signaling pathways in T24 cells. • CXCL5 is critical for bladder tumor growth and progression. - Abstract: CXCL5 (epithelial neutrophil activating peptide-78) which acts as a potent chemoattractant and activator of neutrophil function was reported to play a multifaceted role in tumorigenesis. To investigate the role of CXCL5 in bladder cancer progression, we examined the CXCL5 expression in bladder cancer tissues by real-time PCR and Western blot, additionally, we used shRNA-mediated silencing to generate stable CXCL5 silenced bladder cancer T24 cells and defined its biological functions. Our results demonstrated that mRNA and protein of CXCL5 is increased in human bladder tumor tissues and cell lines, down-regulation of CXCL5 in T24 cells resulted in significantly decreased cell proliferation, migration and increased cell apoptosis in vitro through Snail, PI3K-AKT and ERK1/2 signaling pathways. These data suggest that CXCL5 is critical for bladder tumor growth and progression, it may represent a potential application in cancer diagnosis and therapy.

CXCL5 knockdown expression inhibits human bladder cancer T24 cells proliferation and migration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zheng, Jiajia; Zhu, Xi; Zhang, Jie

2014-01-01

Highlights: • We first demonstrated CXCL5 is highly expressed in human bladder tumor tissues and cells. • CXCL5 knockdown inhibits proliferation, migration and promotes apoptosis in T24 cells. • CXCL5 knockdown inhibits Snail, PI3K-AKT and ERK1/2 signaling pathways in T24 cells. • CXCL5 is critical for bladder tumor growth and progression. - Abstract: CXCL5 (epithelial neutrophil activating peptide-78) which acts as a potent chemoattractant and activator of neutrophil function was reported to play a multifaceted role in tumorigenesis. To investigate the role of CXCL5 in bladder cancer progression, we examined the CXCL5 expression in bladder cancer tissues by real-time PCR and Western blot, additionally, we used shRNA-mediated silencing to generate stable CXCL5 silenced bladder cancer T24 cells and defined its biological functions. Our results demonstrated that mRNA and protein of CXCL5 is increased in human bladder tumor tissues and cell lines, down-regulation of CXCL5 in T24 cells resulted in significantly decreased cell proliferation, migration and increased cell apoptosis in vitro through Snail, PI3K-AKT and ERK1/2 signaling pathways. These data suggest that CXCL5 is critical for bladder tumor growth and progression, it may represent a potential application in cancer diagnosis and therapy

Metal accumulation in the smooth toadfish, Tetractenos glaber, in estuaries around Sydney, Australia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alquezar, Ralph; Markich, Scott J.; Booth, David J.

2006-01-01

This study determined the metal levels in sediments and tissues of a common estuarine fish, Tetractenos glaber (smooth toadfish), from two metal contaminated and two reference estuaries near Sydney, Australia. Metal levels were highest in sediments and fish from contaminated estuaries. Gonads contained the highest metal levels followed by muscle, gill and liver. Metal accumulation was gender-dependant (e.g. male gonads were >20 times higher in As than females; female gills were >30 times higher than males for Pb). Cadmium, Pb and Ni levels in fish tissues reflected sediment levels, indicating sediment and/or dietary metal uptake. Levels of As, Co, Cd and Pb in gills showed similar patterns to other tissues, suggesting that metals may have been taken up by gills through contaminated water. Similar metal patterns in tissues and sediments suggest more than one uptake pathway. This study indicates that multiple factors influence metal accumulation in fish. - Metal levels in toadfish tissues reflect sediment metal levels and show gender differences

The Sydney West Knowledge Portal: Evaluating the Growth of a Knowledge Portal to Support Translational Research.

Science.gov (United States)

Janssen, Anna; Robinson, Tracy Elizabeth; Provan, Pamela; Shaw, Tim

2016-06-29

The Sydney West Translational Cancer Research Centre is an organization funded to build capacity for translational research in cancer. Translational research is essential for ensuring the integration of best available evidence into practice and for improving patient outcomes. However, there is a low level of awareness regarding what it is and how to conduct it optimally. One solution to addressing this gap is the design and deployment of web-based knowledge portals to disseminate new knowledge and engage with and connect dispersed networks of researchers. A knowledge portal is an web-based platform for increasing knowledge dissemination and management in a specialized area. To measure the design and growth of an web-based knowledge portal for increasing individual awareness of translational research and to build organizational capacity for the delivery of translational research projects in cancer. An adaptive methodology was used to capture the design and growth of an web-based knowledge portal in cancer. This involved stakeholder consultations to inform initial design of the portal. Once the portal was live, site analytics were reviewed to evaluate member usage of the portal and to measure growth in membership. Knowledge portal membership grew consistently for the first 18 months after deployment, before leveling out. Analysis of site metrics revealed members were most likely to visit portal pages with community-generated content, particularly pages with a focus on translational research. This was closely followed by pages that disseminated educational material about translational research. Preliminary data from this study suggest that knowledge portals may be beneficial tools for translating new evidence and fostering an environment of communication and collaboration.

Cycloartane-3,24,25-triol inhibits MRCKα kinase and demonstrates promising anti prostate cancer activity in vitro.

Science.gov (United States)

Lowe, Henry I C; Watson, Charah T; Badal, Simone; Toyang, Ngeh J; Bryant, Joseph

2012-11-14

Given the high occurrence of prostate cancer worldwide and one of the major sources of the discovery of new lead molecules being medicinal plants, this research undertook to investigate the possible anti-cancer activity of two natural cycloartanes; cycloartane-3,24,25-diol (extracted in our lab from Tillandsia recurvata) and cycloartane-3,24,25-triol (purchased). The inhibition of MRCKα kinase has emerged as a potential solution to restoring the tight regulation of normal cellular growth, the loss of which leads to cancer cell formation. Kinase inhibition was investigated using competition binding (to the ATP sites) assays which have been previously established and authenticated and cell proliferation was measured using the WST-1 assay. Cycloartane-3,24,25-triol demonstrated strong selectivity towards the MRCKα kinase with a Kd50 of 0.26 μM from a total of 451 kinases investigated. Cycloartane-3,24,25-triol reduced the viability of PC-3 and DU145 cell lines with IC50 values of 2.226 ± 0.28 μM and 1.67 ± 0.18 μM respectively. These results will prove useful in drug discovery as Cycloartane-3,24,25-triol has shown potential for development as an anti-cancer agent against prostate cancer.

24 CFR 1000.20 - Is an Indian tribe required to assume environmental review responsibilities?

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 4 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Is an Indian tribe required to assume environmental review responsibilities? 1000.20 Section 1000.20 Housing and Urban Development... § 1000.20 Is an Indian tribe required to assume environmental review responsibilities? (a) No. It is an...

Swimming performance changes during the final 3 weeks of training leading to the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games.

Science.gov (United States)

Mujika, I; Padilla, S; Pyne, D

2002-11-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the magnitude of the swimming performance change during the final 3 weeks of training (F3T) leading to the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games. Olympic swimmers who took part in the same event or events at the Telstra 2000 Grand Prix Series in Melbourne, Australia, (26 - 27 August 2000), and 21 - 28 d later at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games (16 - 23 September 2000) were included in this analysis. A total of 99 performances (50 male, 49 female) were analysed. The overall performance improvement between pre- and post-F3T conditions for all swimmers was 2.18 +/- 1.50 % (p pre-Olympic F3T elicited a significant performance improvement of 2.57 % for male and 1.78 % for female swimmers at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games. The magnitude was similar for all competition events, and was achieved by swimmers from different countries and performance levels. These data provide a quantitative framework for coaches and swimmers to set realistic performance goals based on individual performance levels before the final training phase leading to important competitions.

File list: InP.Brs.20.AllAg.Breast_cancer_cells [Chip-atlas[Archive

Lifescience Database Archive (English)

Full Text Available InP.Brs.20.AllAg.Breast_cancer_cells hg19 Input control Breast Breast cancer cells ...SRX155768,SRX155771 http://dbarchive.biosciencedbc.jp/kyushu-u/hg19/assembled/InP.Brs.20.AllAg.Breast_cancer_cells.bed ...

Philanthropy in Birmingham and Sydney, 1860-1914: class, gender and race

OpenAIRE

Harvey, E. A.

2011-01-01

This thesis considers philanthropic activities directed towards new mothers and destitute children both “at home” and in a particular colonial context. Philanthropic encounters in Birmingham and Sydney are utilised as a lens through which to explore the intersections between discourses of race, gender and class in metropole and colony. Moreover, philanthropic and missionary efforts towards women and children facilitate a broader discussion of ideas of citizenship and nation. Du...

Cancer consequences of the Chernobyl accident: 20 years on

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cardis, Elisabeth; Howe, Geoffrey; Ron, Elaine

2006-01-01

26 April 2006 marks the 20th anniversary of the Chernobyl accident. On this occasion, the World Health Organization (WHO), within the UN Chernobyl Forum initiative, convened an Expert Group to evaluate the health impacts of Chernobyl. This paper summarises the findings relating to cancer. A dramatic increase in the incidence of thyroid cancer has been observed among those exposed to radioactive iodines in childhood and adolescence in the most contaminated territories. Iodine deficiency may have increased the risk of developing thyroid cancer following exposure to radioactive iodines, while prolonged stable iodine supplementation in the years after exposure may reduce this risk. Although increases in rates of other cancers have been reported, much of these increases appear to be due to other factors, including improvements in registration, reporting and diagnosis. Studies are few, however, and have methodological limitations. Further, because most radiation-related solid cancers continue to occur decades after exposure and because only 20 years have passed since the accident, it is too early to evaluate the full radiological impact of the accident. Apart from the large increase in thyroid cancer incidence in young people, there are at present no clearly demonstrated radiation-related increases in cancer risk. This should not, however, be interpreted to mean that no increase has in fact occurred: based on the experience of other populations exposed to ionising radiation, a small increase in the relative risk of cancer is expected, even at the low to moderate doses received. Although it is expected that epidemiological studies will have difficulty identifying such a risk, it may nevertheless translate into a substantial number of radiation-related cancer cases in the future, given the very large number of individuals exposed. (review)

Cancer consequences of the Chernobyl accident: 20 years on

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cardis, Elisabeth [International Agency for Research on Cancer, 150 Cours Albert Thomas, 69372 Lyon CEDEX 08 (France); Howe, Geoffrey [Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, 722 W. 168th Street, Room 1104, New York, NY 10032 (United States); Ron, Elaine [Radiation Epidemiology Branch, Division of Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Building EPS, MS 7238, Rockville, MD 20852 (United States)] (and others)

2006-06-15

26 April 2006 marks the 20th anniversary of the Chernobyl accident. On this occasion, the World Health Organization (WHO), within the UN Chernobyl Forum initiative, convened an Expert Group to evaluate the health impacts of Chernobyl. This paper summarises the findings relating to cancer. A dramatic increase in the incidence of thyroid cancer has been observed among those exposed to radioactive iodines in childhood and adolescence in the most contaminated territories. Iodine deficiency may have increased the risk of developing thyroid cancer following exposure to radioactive iodines, while prolonged stable iodine supplementation in the years after exposure may reduce this risk. Although increases in rates of other cancers have been reported, much of these increases appear to be due to other factors, including improvements in registration, reporting and diagnosis. Studies are few, however, and have methodological limitations. Further, because most radiation-related solid cancers continue to occur decades after exposure and because only 20 years have passed since the accident, it is too early to evaluate the full radiological impact of the accident. Apart from the large increase in thyroid cancer incidence in young people, there are at present no clearly demonstrated radiation-related increases in cancer risk. This should not, however, be interpreted to mean that no increase has in fact occurred: based on the experience of other populations exposed to ionising radiation, a small increase in the relative risk of cancer is expected, even at the low to moderate doses received. Although it is expected that epidemiological studies will have difficulty identifying such a risk, it may nevertheless translate into a substantial number of radiation-related cancer cases in the future, given the very large number of individuals exposed. (rev0009i.

Major metropolis rail system access to dental care for the retired and elderly: a high-resolution geographic study of Sydney, Australia.

Science.gov (United States)

Zainab, Uswa-I; Kruger, Estie; Tennant, Marc

2015-12-01

This study examined the spatial accessibility of the Sydney Dental Hospital, to the people of metropolitan Sydney, using a geographic information systems approach. Sydney, Australia's largest city and the state capital of New South Wales, has 4.6 million people, with one-fifth of the Australian population (4.6 million people). Public dental services exist, but accessibility is limited to some specific population groups, who meet specific eligibility criteria. All adults (those older than 15 years) were included in the study, and two subsets of this population, retirees (older than 65 years) and elderly (older than 85 years), were also examined according to their proximity to the Sydney Dental Hospital, which is located immediately adjacent to the central train station. Census data (population data) and train station geo-coding data were integrated with high-resolution geographic information systems to analyse population spatial accessibility. Irrespective of the socioeconomic status, it was found that 43% of all the adults, 42.5% of the retirees and 41.6% of elders lived 2 km away from the nearest train station. Two-thirds of those in lower socioeconomic status lived within 2 km of a train station, whilst half of those in the higher socioeconomic status groups lived within 2 km from a train station. Metropolitan Sydney is an example of good urban planning where train stations are appropriately placed in high population density and low socioeconomic areas. The same should be investigated in other major metropolises, especially those still in growth and planning transportation systems. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons A/S and The Gerodontology Association. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

An objective index of walkability for research and planning in the Sydney Metropolitan Region of New South Wales, Australia: an ecological study

OpenAIRE

Mayne, Darren J; Morgan, Geoffrey G; Willmore, Alan; Rose, Nectarios; Jalaludin, Bin; Bambrick, Hilary; Bauman, Adrian

2013-01-01

Background Walkability describes the capacity of the built environment to support walking for various purposes. This paper describes the construction and validation of two objective walkability indexes for Sydney, Australia. Methods Walkability indexes using residential density, intersection density, land use mix, with and without retail floor area ratio were calculated for 5,858 Sydney Census Collection Districts in a geographical information system. Associations between variables were evalu...

Cycloartane-3,24,25-triol inhibits MRCKα kinase and demonstrates promising anti prostate cancer activity in vitro

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lowe Henry I C

2012-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Given the high occurrence of prostate cancer worldwide and one of the major sources of the discovery of new lead molecules being medicinal plants, this research undertook to investigate the possible anti-cancer activity of two natural cycloartanes; cycloartane-3,24,25-diol (extracted in our lab from Tillandsia recurvata and cycloartane-3,24,25-triol (purchased. The inhibition of MRCKα kinase has emerged as a potential solution to restoring the tight regulation of normal cellular growth, the loss of which leads to cancer cell formation. Methods Kinase inhibition was investigated using competition binding (to the ATP sites assays which have been previously established and authenticated and cell proliferation was measured using the WST-1 assay. Results Cycloartane-3,24,25-triol demonstrated strong selectivity towards the MRCKα kinase with a Kd50 of 0.26 μM from a total of 451 kinases investigated. Cycloartane-3,24,25-triol reduced the viability of PC-3 and DU145 cell lines with IC50 values of 2.226 ± 0.28 μM and 1.67 ± 0.18 μM respectively. Conclusions These results will prove useful in drug discovery as Cycloartane-3,24,25-triol has shown potential for development as an anti-cancer agent against prostate cancer.

Cycloartane-3,24,25-triol inhibits MRCKα kinase and demonstrates promising anti prostate cancer activity in vitro

Science.gov (United States)

2012-01-01

Background Given the high occurrence of prostate cancer worldwide and one of the major sources of the discovery of new lead molecules being medicinal plants, this research undertook to investigate the possible anti-cancer activity of two natural cycloartanes; cycloartane-3,24,25-diol (extracted in our lab from Tillandsia recurvata) and cycloartane-3,24,25-triol (purchased). The inhibition of MRCKα kinase has emerged as a potential solution to restoring the tight regulation of normal cellular growth, the loss of which leads to cancer cell formation. Methods Kinase inhibition was investigated using competition binding (to the ATP sites) assays which have been previously established and authenticated and cell proliferation was measured using the WST-1 assay. Results Cycloartane-3,24,25-triol demonstrated strong selectivity towards the MRCKα kinase with a Kd50 of 0.26 μM from a total of 451 kinases investigated. Cycloartane-3,24,25-triol reduced the viability of PC-3 and DU145 cell lines with IC50 values of 2.226 ± 0.28 μM and 1.67 ± 0.18 μM respectively. Conclusions These results will prove useful in drug discovery as Cycloartane-3,24,25-triol has shown potential for development as an anti-cancer agent against prostate cancer. PMID:23151005

Unlocking Sydney's renewable gas potential

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ong, Jacqueline

2014-01-01

The City of Sydney may have hit the statewide resource recovery target of 66% two years early, but it is not resting on its laurels. Instead, it wants to do more with the remaining 34% of non-recyclable waste that is being sent to landfill. Its Advanced Waste Treatment Master Plan explores how the waste-derived gas can be injected itito the gas grid to fuel local energy generation or transport networks, killing two birds with one stone - meeting the city's energy needs and diverting waste from landfill. The plan seems sound. After all, landfill costs have increased 300% in the past decade and landfill levies are projected to exceed $400 a tonne by 2030. In addition, four landfills sites operating near the city will close within the next few years

Effect of curcumin on the cell surface markers CD44 and CD24 in breast cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Calaf, Gloria M; Ponce-Cusi, Richard; Abarca-Quinones, Jorge

2018-04-20

Human breast cell lines are often characterized based on the expression of the cell surface markers CD44 and CD24. CD44 is a type I transmembrane glycoprotein that regulates cell adhesion and cell-cell, as well as cell-extracellular matrix interactions. CD24 is expressed in benign and malignant solid tumors and is also involved in cell adhesion and metastasis. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of curcumin on the surface expression of CD44 and CD24 in breast epithelial cell lines. An established breast cancer model derived from the MCF-10F cell line was used. The results revealed that curcumin decreased CD44 and CD24 gene and protein expression levels in MCF-10F (normal), Alpha5 (premalignant) and Tumor2 (malignant) cell lines compared with the levels in their counterpart control cells. Flow cytometry revealed that the CD44+/CD24+ cell subpopulation was greater than the CD44+/CD24- subpopulation in these three cell lines. Curcumin increased CD44+/CD24+ to a greater extent and decreased CD44+/CD24- subpopulations in the normal MCF-10F and the pre-tumorigenic Alpha5 cells, but had no significant effect on Tumor2 cells compared with the corresponding control cells. Conversely, curcumin increased CD44 and decreased CD24 gene expression in MCF-7 breast cancer cells, and decreased CD44 gene expression in MDA-MB-231 cell line, while CD24 was not present in these cells. Curcumin did not alter the CD44+/CD24+ or CD44+/CD24- subpopulations in the MCF-7 cell line. However, it increased CD44+/CD24+ and decreased CD44+/CD24- subpopulations in MDA-MB-231 cells. In breast cancer specimens from patients, normal tissues were negative for CD44 and CD24 expression, while benign lesions were positive for both markers, and malignant tissues were found to be negative for CD44 and positive for CD24 in most cases. In conclusion, these results indicated that curcumin may be used to improve the proportion of CD44+/CD24+ cells and decrease the proportion of CD44

The analgesic efficacy of intravenous lidocaine infusion after laparoscopic fundoplication: a prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dale GJ

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Gregory J Dale,1 Stephanie Phillips,2 Gregory L Falk3 1Westmead Hospital Clinical School, The University of Sydney, 2Sydney Adventist Hospital Clinical School, The University of Sydney, 3Concord Clinical School, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia Abstract: This study aimed to determine if intravenous lidocaine infusion reduces postoperative pain intensity following laparoscopic fundoplication surgery and to also validate the safety of intravenous lidocaine at the dose tested. This was an equally randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group, single center trial. Adult patients undergoing laparoscopic fundoplication were recruited. The intervention group received 1 mg/kg intravenous lidocaine bolus prior to induction of anesthesia, then an intravenous infusion at 2 mg/kg/h for 24 hours. The primary outcome was pain, measured using a numeric rating scale for 30 hours postoperatively. Secondary outcomes were nausea and vomiting, opioid requirements, adverse events, serum lidocaine concentration, and length of hospital stay. The study was terminated after an interim analysis of 24 patients showed evidence of futility. There was no difference in postoperative pain scores (lidocaine versus control, mean ± standard deviation at rest (2.0 ± 2.7 vs 2.1 ± 2.4, P=0.286 or with movement (2.0 ± 2.6 vs 2.6 ± 2.7, P=0.487. Three adverse events occurred in the lidocaine group (25% of patients. Intravenous lidocaine did not provide clinically significant analgesia to patients undergoing laparoscopic fundoplication. The serum lidocaine concentration of patients who experienced adverse events were within the therapeutic range. This trial cannot confirm the safety of intravenous lidocaine at the dose tested. Keywords: analgesia, local anesthetics, intravenous infusions, pharmacokinetics

Deriving a preference-based utility measure for cancer patients from the European Organisation for the Research and Treatment of Cancer's Quality of Life Questionnaire C30: a confirmatory versus exploratory approach

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Costa DSJ

2014-11-01

Full Text Available Daniel SJ Costa,1 Neil K Aaronson,2 Peter M Fayers,3,4 Peter S Grimison,5,6 Monika Janda,7 Julie F Pallant,8 Donna Rowen,9 Galina Velikova,10 Rosalie Viney,11 Tracey A Young,9 Madeleine T King1On behalf of the MAUCa Consortium1Psycho-oncology Co-operative Research Group, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia; 2Division of Psychosocial Research and Epidemiology, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; 3Institute of Applied Health Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK; 4Department of Cancer Research and Molecular Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway; 5Chris O'Brien Lifehouse, 6Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 7School of Public Health, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, 8Rural Health Academic Centre, University of Melbourne, Shepparton, VIC, Australia; 9School of Health and Related Research, University of Sheffield, Sheffield; 10University of Leeds, St James's Institute of Oncology, Leeds, UK; 11Centre for Health Economics Research and Evaluation, University of Technology, Sydney, NSW, AustraliaBackground: Multi attribute utility instruments (MAUIs are preference-based measures that comprise a health state classification system (HSCS and a scoring algorithm that assigns a utility value to each health state in the HSCS. When developing a MAUI from a health-related quality of life (HRQOL questionnaire, first a HSCS must be derived. This typically involves selecting a subset of domains and items because HRQOL questionnaires typically have too many items to be amendable to the valuation task required to develop the scoring algorithm for a MAUI. Currently, exploratory factor analysis (EFA followed by Rasch analysis is recommended for deriving a MAUI from a HRQOL measure.Aim: To determine whether confirmatory factor analysis (CFA is more appropriate and efficient than EFA to derive a HSCS

Clinical efficacy of first-generation EGFR-TKIs in patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer harboring EGFR exon 20 mutations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chen D

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Dan Chen,1 Zhengbo Song,2 Guoping Cheng3 1Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 2Department of Chemotherapy, 3Department of Pathology, Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou, People’s Republic of China Purpose: Subsets of non-small-cell lung cancer patients with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR mutations carry uncommon subtypes. We evaluated the efficacy of first-generation EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs; erlotinib, gefitinib, and icotinib in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer carrying insertions and T790M and S768I mutations in EGFR exon 20. Patients and methods: Patients carrying EGFR exon 20 insertion/T790M/S768I mutations and treated with EGFR-TKIs were evaluated from 2005 to 2014 in Zhejiang Cancer Hospital. The efficacy was evaluated using the Kaplan–Meier method and compared with the log-rank test. Results: Sixty-two patients with exon 20 insertion/T790M/S768I mutations were enrolled. Mutations including exon 20 insertions and T790M and S768I mutations were observed in 29, 23, and ten patients, respectively. In total, the response rate and median progression-free survival (PFS were 8.1% and 2.1 months, respectively. Patients with S768I mutation manifested the longest median PFS (2.7 months, followed by those with T790M (2.4 months and exon 20 insertions (1.9 months; P=0.022. Patients with complex mutations show a better PFS than those with single mutations (2.7 months vs 1.9 months; P=0.034. Conclusion: First-generation EGFR-TKIs are less effective in patients with exon 20 uncommon mutations than in those with common mutations. Patients with complex mutations benefited more from first-generation EGFR-TKIs than those with single mutations. Keywords: non-small cell lung cancer, epidermal growth factor receptor, EGFR mutations, exon 20, tyrosine kinase inhibitor

Collective Action of 'Others' in Sydney

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Walter F Lalich

2006-02-01

Full Text Available Various ethnic communities undertake collective action to satisfy their social needs in a place of settlement. Collectively created social resources are representative of the patterns of fragmented ethnic collective actions that differ in their capability to appropriate human and material resources, orientation, outcome, form and intensity. Through collective creation of social space migrants add a new and dynamic dimension to the social environment. During the dramatic post-1945 changes in Sydney demographic and cultural structures, over 450 “other” (ethnic collectives mobilised through grass-roots efforts their scarce resources and created needed collective goods, such as places of worship, clubs, schools, age care facilities. In this way, through creation of communal roots ethnic collectives navigate the path between exclusion and the various forms of inclusion in a dynamic culturally diverse society. Ethnic communal places signify collective conscience, participation, and the embeddedness of transplanted cultures in a transforming social environment and transnational social space.

The mortality effect of ship-related fine particulate matter in the Sydney greater metropolitan region of NSW, Australia.

Science.gov (United States)

Broome, Richard A; Cope, Martin E; Goldsworthy, Brett; Goldsworthy, Laurie; Emmerson, Kathryn; Jegasothy, Edward; Morgan, Geoffrey G

2016-02-01

This study investigates the mortality effect of primary and secondary PM2.5 related to ship exhaust in the Sydney greater metropolitan region of Australia. A detailed inventory of ship exhaust emissions was used to model a) the 2010/11 concentration of ship-related PM2.5 across the region, and b) the reduction in PM2.5 concentration that would occur if ships used distillate fuel with a 0.1% sulfur content at berth or within 300 km of Sydney. The annual loss of life attributable to 2010/11 levels of ship-related PM2.5 and the improvement in survival associated with use of low-sulfur fuel were estimated from the modelled concentrations. In 2010/11, approximately 1.9% of the region-wide annual average population weighted-mean concentration of all natural and human-made PM2.5 was attributable to ship exhaust, and up to 9.4% at suburbs close to ports. An estimated 220 years of life were lost by people who died in 2010/11 as a result of ship exhaust-related exposure (95% CIβ: 140-290, where CIβ is the uncertainty in the concentration-response coefficient only). Use of 0.1% sulfur fuel at berth would reduce the population weighted-mean concentration of PM2.5 related to ship exhaust by 25% and result in a gain of 390 life-years over a twenty year period (95% CIβ: 260-520). Use of 0.1% sulfur fuel within 300 km of Sydney would reduce the concentration by 56% and result in a gain of 920 life-years over twenty years (95% CIβ: 600-1200). Ship exhaust is an important source of human exposure to PM2.5 in the Sydney greater metropolitan region. This assessment supports intervention to reduce ship emissions in the GMR. Local strategies to limit the sulfur content of fuel would reduce exposure and will become increasingly beneficial as the shipping industry expands. A requirement for use of 0.1% sulfur fuel by ships within 300 km of Sydney would provide more than twice the mortality benefit of a requirement for ships to use 0.1% sulfur fuel at berth. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier

Overexpression of molecular chaperons GRP78 and GRP94 in CD44(hi)/CD24(lo) breast cancer stem cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Nami, Babak; Ghasemi-Dizgah, Armin; Vaseghi, Akbar

2016-01-01

Breast cancer stem cell with CD44(hi)/CD24(lo) phonotype is described having stem cell properties and represented as the main driving factor in breast cancer initiation, growth, metastasis and low response to anti-cancer agents. Glucoseregulated proteins (GRPs) are heat shock protein family chaperons that are charged with regulation of protein machinery and modulation of endoplasmic reticulum homeostasis whose important roles in stem cell development and invasion of various cancers have been demonstrated. Here, we investigated the expression levels of GRP78 and GRP94 in CD44(hi)/CD24(lo) phenotype breast cancer stem cells (BCSCs). MCF7, T-47D and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell lines were used. CD44(hi)/CD24(lo) phenotype cell population were analyzed and sorted by fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS). Transcriptional and translational expression of GRP78 and GRP94 were investigated by western blotting and quantitative real time PCR. RESULTS showed different proportion of CD44(hi)/CD24(lo) phenotype cell population in their original bulk cells. The ranking of the cell lines in terms of CD44(hi)/CD24(lo) phenotype cell population was as MCF7hi)/CD24(lo) phenotype cells exhibited higher mRNA and protein expression level of GRP78 and GRP94 compared to their original bulk cells. Our results show a relationship between overexpression of GRP78 and GRP94 and exhibiting CD44hi/CD24lo phenotype in breast cancer cells. We conclude that upregulation of GRPs may be an important factor in the emergence of CD44hi/CD24lo phenotype BCSCs features.

Recombinant interleukin-24 lacks apoptosis-inducing properties in melanoma cells.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stephanie Kreis

Full Text Available IL-24, also known as melanoma differentiation antigen 7 (mda-7, is a member of the IL-10 family of cytokines and is mainly produced by Th(2 cells as well as by activated monocytes. Binding of IL-24 to either of its two possible heterodimeric receptors IL-20R1/IL-20R2 and IL-22R/IL-20R2 activates STAT3 and/or STAT1 in target tissues such as lung, testis, ovary, keratinocytes and skin. To date, the physiological properties of IL-24 are still not well understood but available data suggest that IL-24 affects epidermal functions by increasing proliferation of dermal cells. In stark contrast to its "normal" and physiological behaviour, IL-24 has been reported to selectively and efficiently kill a vast variety of cancer cells, especially melanoma cells, independent of receptor expression and Jak-STAT signalling. These intriguing properties have led to the development of adenovirally-expressed IL-24, which is currently being evaluated in clinical trials. Using three different methods, we have analysed a large panel of melanoma cell lines with respect to IL-24 and IL-24 receptor expression and found that none of the investigated cell lines expressed sufficient amounts of functional receptor pairs and therefore did not react to IL-24 stimulation with Jak/STAT activation. Results for three cell lines contrasted with previous studies, which reported presence of IL-24 receptors and activation of STAT3 following IL-24 stimulation. Furthermore, evaluating four different sources and modes of IL-24 administration (commercial recombinant IL-24, bacterially expressed GST-IL-24 fusion protein, IL-24 produced from transfected Hek cells, transiently over-expressed IL-24 no induction or increase in cell death was detected when compared to appropriate control treatments. Thus, we conclude that the cytokine IL-24 itself has no cancer-specific apoptosis-inducing properties in melanoma cells.

Predicting 7-day, 30-day and 60-day all-cause unplanned readmission: a case study of a Sydney hospital.

Science.gov (United States)

Maali, Yashar; Perez-Concha, Oscar; Coiera, Enrico; Roffe, David; Day, Richard O; Gallego, Blanca

2018-01-04

The identification of patients at high risk of unplanned readmission is an important component of discharge planning strategies aimed at preventing unwanted returns to hospital. The aim of this study was to investigate the factors associated with unplanned readmission in a Sydney hospital. We developed and compared validated readmission risk scores using routinely collected hospital data to predict 7-day, 30-day and 60-day all-cause unplanned readmission. A combination of gradient boosted tree algorithms for variable selection and logistic regression models was used to build and validate readmission risk scores using medical records from 62,235 live discharges from a metropolitan hospital in Sydney, Australia. The scores had good calibration and fair discriminative performance with c-statistic of 0.71 for 7-day and for 30-day readmission, and 0.74 for 60-day. Previous history of healthcare utilization, urgency of the index admission, old age, comorbidities related to cancer, psychosis, and drug-abuse, abnormal pathology results at discharge, and being unmarried and a public patient were found to be important predictors in all models. Unplanned readmissions beyond 7 days were more strongly associated with longer hospital stays and older patients with higher number of comorbidities and higher use of acute care in the past year. This study demonstrates similar predictors and performance to previous risk scores of 30-day unplanned readmission. Shorter-term readmissions may have different causal pathways than 30-day readmission, and may, therefore, require different screening tools and interventions. This study also re-iterates the need to include more informative data elements to ensure the appropriateness of these risk scores in clinical practice.

Proteomic profiling of mammary carcinomas identifies C7orf24, a gamma-glutamyl cyclotransferase, as a potential cancer biomarker

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gromov, Pavel; Gromova, Irina; Friis, Esbern

2010-01-01

Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in women today and is the most common cancer (excluding skin cancers) among women in the Western world. Although cancers detected by screening mammography are significantly smaller than nonscreening ones, noninvasive biomarkers for detection...... in different types of cancer suggests deregulation of C7orf24 to be a general event in epithelial carcinogenesis, indicating that this protein may play an important role in cancer cell biology and thus constitute a novel therapeutic target. Furthermore, as C7orf24 is externalized to the tissue extracellular...... fluid and can be detected in serum, this protein also represents a potential serological marker....

Role of oncogene 24p3 neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) in digestive system cancers.

Science.gov (United States)

Michalak, Łukasz; Bulska, Magdalena; Kudłacz, Katarzyna; Szcześniak, Piotr

2016-01-04

Neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin, known also as 24p3 lipocalin, lipocalin-2 or uterocalin (in mouse), is a small secretory protein binding small molecular weight ligands which takes part in numerous processes including apoptosis induction in leukocytes, iron transport, smell, and prostaglandins and retinol transport [19]. It was discovered in activated neutrophils as a covalent peptide associated with human gelatinase neutrophils [7]. Neutrophil lipocalin is secreted physiologically in the digestive system, respiratory tract, renal tubular cells, liver or immunity system. Systematic (circulated in plasma) neutrophil gelatinase come from multiple sources; it may be synthesized in the liver, secreted from activated neutrophils or macrophages, or derive from atherosclerosis or inflammatory endothelial cells [17]. NGAL is stored secondarily in granulates with lactoferrin, calprotectin or MAC-1, which take part in neutrophils' action and migration [13,19]. NGAL participates in acute and chronic inflammation (production of NGAL is indicated by factors conducive to cancer progression) [13,21]. NGAL levels increase in inflammatory or endothelial damage. NGAL level is measured in blood or urine. It is known as a kidney failure factor [7,20]. NGAL is therefore one of the most promising new generation biomarkers in clinical nephrology [6]. The role of NGAL in digestive system neoplasms has not been explored in detail. However, overexpression of this marker was proved in neoplasms such as esophageal carcinoma, stomach cancer, pancreatic cancer or colon cancer, which may indicate an association between concentration and neoplasm [3].

SNP rs16906252C>T is an expression and methylation quantitative trait locus associated with an increased risk of developing MGMT-methylated colorectal cancer

Science.gov (United States)

Kuroiwa-Trzmielina, Joice; Wang, Fan; Rapkins, Robert W.; Ward, Robyn L.; Buchanan, Daniel D.; Win, Aung Ko; Clendenning, Mark; Rosty, Christophe; Southey, Melissa C.; Winship, Ingrid M.; Hopper, John L.; Jenkins, Mark A.; Olivier, Jake; Hawkins, Nicholas J.; Hitchins, Megan P.

2016-01-01

Purpose Methylation of the MGMT promoter is the major cause of O6-methylguanine methyltransferase deficiency in cancer and has been associated with the T variant of the promoter-enhancer SNP rs16906252C>T. We sought evidence for an association between the rs16906252C>T genotype and increased risk of developing a subtype of colorectal cancer (CRC) featuring MGMT methylation, mediated by genotype-dependent epigenetic silencing within normal tissues. Experimental design By applying a molecular pathological epidemiology case-control study design, associations between rs16906252C>T and risk for CRC overall, and CRC stratified by MGMT methylation status, were estimated using multinomial logistic regression in two independent retrospective series of CRC cases and controls. The test sample comprised 1054 CRC cases and 451 controls from Sydney, Australia. The validation sample comprised 612 CRC cases and 245 controls from the Australasian Colon Cancer Family Registry (ACCFR). To determine if rs16906252C>T was linked to a constitutively altered epigenetic state, quantitative allelic expression and methylation analyses were performed in normal tissues. Results An association between rs16906252C>T and increased risk of developing MGMT-methylated CRC in the Sydney sample was observed (OR 3.3; 95%CI=2.0–5.3; PT represents an expression and methylation quantitative trait locus. Conclusions We provide evidence that rs16906252C>T is associated with elevated risk for MGMT-methylated CRC, likely mediated by constitutive epigenetic repression of the T allele. PMID:27267851

Muusikamaailm : James Levine 25 aastat Metis. Taveneri ja MacMillani millenniumiteosed. Avafestival Sydneys / Priit Kuusk

Index Scriptorium Estoniae

Kuusk, Priit, 1938-

2000-01-01

J. Harbisoni ooperi "The Great Gatsby" esmalavastusega tähistab New Yorgi Metropolitan Opera oma 25-aastast koostööd J. Levine'iga. J. Taveneri uudisteosest "The Fall and Resurrection", J. MacMillani millenniumiteose "Magnificat" maailmaesiettekandest. 5.-26. jaan. toimuvast Sydney muusikafestivalist

Proceedings of the International Association for Development of the Information Society (IADIS) International Conference on Educational Technologies (5th, Sydney, Australia, December 11-13, 2017)

Science.gov (United States)

Kommers, Piet, Ed.; Issa, Tomayess, Ed.; Isaias, Pedro, Ed.; Hol, Ana, Ed.

2017-01-01

These proceedings contain the papers and posters of the 5th International Conference on Educational Technologies 2017 (ICEduTech 2017), which has been organised by the International Association for Development of the Information Society and co-organised by the Western Sydney University, held in Sydney, Australia, 11-13 December 2017. ICEduTech is…

Identification of lead sources in residential environments: Sydney Australia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Laidlaw, M.A.S.; Zahran, S.; Pingitore, N.; Clague, J.; Devlin, G.; Taylor, M.P.

2014-01-01

Interior and exterior dust, soil and paint were analysed at five brick urban Sydney homes over 15 months to evaluate temporal variations and discriminate sources of lead (Pb) exposure. Exterior dust gauge Pb loading rates (μg/m 2 /28 days), interior vacuum dust Pb concentrations (mg/kg) and interior petri-dish Pb loading rates (μg/m 2 /28 days), were correlated positively with soil Pb concentrations. Exterior dust gauge Pb loading rates and interior vacuum dust Pb concentrations peaked in the summer. Lead isotope and Pb speciation (XAS) were analysed in soil and vacuum dust samples from three of the five houses that had elevated Pb concentrations. Results show that the source of interior dust lead was primarily from soil in two of the three houses and from soil and Pb paint in the third home. IEUBK child blood Pb modelling predicts that children's blood Pb levels could exceed 5 μg/dL in two of the five houses. -- Highlights: • Exterior Pb loading and interior Pb dust loading and concentrations correlate with soil Pb. • Exterior dust gauge Pb loading rates and interior vacuum dust Pb concentrations peak in the summer. • Interior dust lead came from soil in two of the three houses and from soil and Pb paint in the third home. • Modelling predicts that children's blood Pb levels could exceed 5 μg/dL in two of the five houses. -- Interior and exterior dust, soil and paint were analysed at five brick urban Sydney homes over 15 months to evaluate temporal variations and discriminate sources of lead (Pb) exposure

CCAT2, a novel noncoding RNA mapping to 8q24, underlies metastatic progression and chromosomal instability in colon cancer

Science.gov (United States)

Ling, Hui; Spizzo, Riccardo; Atlasi, Yaser; Nicoloso, Milena; Shimizu, Masayoshi; Redis, Roxana S.; Nishida, Naohiro; Gafà, Roberta; Song, Jian; Guo, Zhiyi; Ivan, Cristina; Barbarotto, Elisa; De Vries, Ingrid; Zhang, Xinna; Ferracin, Manuela; Churchman, Mike; van Galen, Janneke F.; Beverloo, Berna H.; Shariati, Maryam; Haderk, Franziska; Estecio, Marcos R.; Garcia-Manero, Guillermo; Patijn, Gijs A.; Gotley, David C.; Bhardwaj, Vikas; Shureiqi, Imad; Sen, Subrata; Multani, Asha S.; Welsh, James; Yamamoto, Ken; Taniguchi, Itsuki; Song, Min-Ae; Gallinger, Steven; Casey, Graham; Thibodeau, Stephen N.; Le Marchand, Loïc; Tiirikainen, Maarit; Mani, Sendurai A.; Zhang, Wei; Davuluri, Ramana V.; Mimori, Koshi; Mori, Masaki; Sieuwerts, Anieta M.; Martens, John W.M.; Tomlinson, Ian; Negrini, Massimo; Berindan-Neagoe, Ioana; Foekens, John A.; Hamilton, Stanley R.; Lanza, Giovanni; Kopetz, Scott; Fodde, Riccardo; Calin, George A.

2013-01-01

The functional roles of SNPs within the 8q24 gene desert in the cancer phenotype are not yet well understood. Here, we report that CCAT2, a novel long noncoding RNA transcript (lncRNA) encompassing the rs6983267 SNP, is highly overexpressed in microsatellite-stable colorectal cancer and promotes tumor growth, metastasis, and chromosomal instability. We demonstrate that MYC, miR–17–5p, and miR–20a are up-regulated by CCAT2 through TCF7L2-mediated transcriptional regulation. We further identify the physical interaction between CCAT2 and TCF7L2 resulting in an enhancement of WNT signaling activity. We show that CCAT2 is itself a WNT downstream target, which suggests the existence of a feedback loop. Finally, we demonstrate that the SNP status affects CCAT2 expression and the risk allele G produces more CCAT2 transcript. Our results support a new mechanism of MYC and WNT regulation by the novel lncRNA CCAT2 in colorectal cancer pathogenesis, and provide an alternative explanation of the SNP-conferred cancer risk. PMID:23796952

Taking Charge: Walter Sydney Adams and the Mount Wilson Observatory

Science.gov (United States)

Brashear, R.

2004-12-01

The growing preeminence of American observational astronomy in the first half of the 20th century is a well-known story and much credit is given to George Ellery Hale and his skill as an observatory-building entrepreneur. But a key figure who has yet to be discussed in great detail is Walter Sydney Adams (1876-1956), Hale's Assistant Director at Mount Wilson Observatory. Due to Hale's illnesses, Adams was Acting Director for much of Hale's tenure, and he became the second Director of Mount Wilson from 1923 to 1946. Behind his New England reserve Adams was instrumental in the growth of Mount Wilson and thus American astronomy in general. Adams was hand-picked by Hale to take charge of stellar spectroscopy work at Yerkes and Mount Wilson and the younger astronomer showed tremendous loyalty to Hale and Hale's vision throughout his career. As Adams assumed the leadership role at Mount Wilson he concentrated on making the observatory a place where researchers worked with great freedom but maintain a high level of cooperation. This paper will concentrate on Adams's early years and look at his growing relationship with Hale and how he came to be the central figure in the early history of Mount Wilson as both a solar and stellar observatory. His education, his years at Dartmouth and Yerkes (including his unfortunate encounter with epsilon Leonis), and his formative years on Mount Wilson are all important in learning how he shaped the direction of Mount Wilson and the development of American astronomy in the first half of the 20th century. This latter history cannot be complete until we bring Adams into better focus.

Study of {sup 24}Na activity in concrete using 20-MeV proton beam on Cu

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Oranj, Leila Mokhtanri; Jung, Nam Suk; Lee, Arim; Heo, Tae Min; Bakhtian, Mahdi; Lee, Hee Seock [POSTECH, Pohang (Korea, Republic of)

2017-04-15

The number of medical cyclotrons capable of accelerating protons to about 20 MeV is increasing in Korea. In such facilities, various radionuclides could be induced in shielding materials like concrete from secondary neutrons which Causes problems from the view point of radiation safety. Among these radionuclides, gamma-ray from {sup 24}Na (Tz1/2 = 15 h) is the most important origin of radiation exposure. {sup 24}Na could be produced from secondary neutrons on Na, Al and Mg component which exist in the concrete. {sup 24} Na Could be produced from thermal neutrons on Na and fast neutron with energy lower than 20 MeV on Al and Mg. Due to interaction of 20 MeV protons on Cu target, secondary neutrons with the energy of less than 20 MeV were produced. therefore, among the concrete components, Na, Al and Mg are only corespondent to produce {sup 24}Na. In this work, {sup 24}Na activity induced in concrete and chemical reagents of concrete (NaHCO{sub 3}, Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} and MgO) were measured. To produce neutrons, Cu target was irradiated by 20 MeV protons. Measured data were compared with results of simulations by FLUKA and MARS as well as earlier works and theocratical data. In the case of Mg and Al chemical reagents, FLUKA code overestimates our measurements by approximately four times, while, for Na sample, FLUKA underestimates the experimental data by almost 0.5. Data from FLUKA and measurement for the concrete are consistent. Calculation from TALYS for Mg overestimates the measured data by a factor of 2.5.

A Q fever cluster among workers at an abattoir in south-western Sydney, Australia, 2015

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Heidi Lord

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Background: In September 2015, the Public Health Unit of the South Western Sydney Local Health District was notified of two possible Q fever cases. Case investigation identified that both cases were employed at an abattoir, and both cases advised that co-workers had experienced similar symptoms. Public Health Unit staff also recalled interviewing in late 2014 at least one other Q fever case who worked at the same abattoir. This prompted an outbreak investigation. Methods: The investigation incorporated active case finding, microbiological analysis, field investigation and a risk factor survey. Included cases were laboratory definitive or suspected cases occurring from October 2014 to October 2015, residing or working in south-western Sydney. A suspected case had clinically compatible illness, high-risk exposure and was epidemiologically linked to another confirmed case. A confirmed case included laboratory detection of C. burnetii. Results: Eight cases met the case definition with seven confirmed (including a deceased case and one suspected. The eight cases were all males who had been employed at an abattoir in south-western Sydney during their incubation period; symptom onset dates ranged from November 2014 to September 2015. Field investigation identified multiple potential risk factors at the abattoir, and the majority (75% of employees were not vaccinated against Q fever despite this high-risk setting. Conclusion: This cluster of Q fever in a single abattoir confirms the significance of this zoonotic disease as an occupational hazard among persons working in high-risk environments. Implementation of Q fever vaccination programmes should eliminate Q fever in high-risk occupational settings.

Assessing dietary intake in childhood cancer survivors: Food frequency questionnaire versus 24-hour diet recalls

Science.gov (United States)

Cancer diagnosis and treatment may influence dietary intake. The validity of using self-reported methods to quantify dietary intake has not been evaluated in childhood cancer survivors. We validated total energy intake (EI) reported from Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ) and repeated 24-hour diet r...

The Sydney Triage to Admission Risk Tool (START): A prospective validation study.

Science.gov (United States)

Ebker-White, Anja A; Bein, Kendall J; Dinh, Michael M

2018-02-08

The present study aims to prospectively validate the Sydney Triage to Admission Risk Tool (START) to predict ED disposition. This was a prospective validation study at two metropolitan EDs in Sydney, Australia. Consecutive triage encounters were observed by a trained researcher and START scores calculated. The primary outcome was patient disposition (discharge or inpatient admission) from the ED. Multivariable logistic regression was used to estimate area under curve of receiver operator characteristic (AUC ROC) for START scores as well as START score in combination with other variables such as frailty, general practitioner referral, overcrowding and major medical comorbidities. There were 894 patients analysed during the study period. The START score when applied to the data had AUC ROC of 0.80 (95% CI 0.77-0.83). The inclusion of other clinical variables identified at triage did not improve the overall performance of the model with an AUC ROC of 0.81 (95% CI 0.78-0.84) in the present study. The overall performance of the START tool with respect to model discrimination and accuracy has been prospectively validated. Further clinical trials are required to test the clinical effectiveness of the tool in improving patient flow and overall ED performance. © 2018 Australasian College for Emergency Medicine and Australasian Society for Emergency Medicine.

The distribution of lung cancer mortality in Cape Town and related ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

1991-04-20

Apr 20, 1991 ... In the case of white people demographic as wel! as socio- economic .... correlation analysis,24 were used to identify the cancer-related variables. ..... papers presented at the 24th Annual Symposium of Fundamental Cancer.

Interleukin-24 is correlated with differentiation and lymph node numbers in rectal cancer

Science.gov (United States)

Choi, Youngmin; Roh, Mee-Sook; Hong, Young-Seoub; Lee, Hyung-Sik; Hur, Won-Joo

2011-01-01

AIM: To assess the significance of interleukin (IL)-24 and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression in lymph-node-positive rectal cancer. METHODS: Between 1998 and 2005, 90 rectal adenocarcinoma patients with lymph node involvement were enrolled. All patients received radical surgery and postoperative pelvic chemoradiotherapy of 50.4-54.0 Gy. Chemotherapy of 5-fluorouracil and leucovorin or levamisole was given intravenously during the first and last week of radiotherapy, and then monthly for about 6 mo. Expression of IL-24 and VEGF was evaluated by immunohistochemical staining of surgical specimens, and their relations with patient characteristics and survival were analyzed. The median follow-up of surviving patients was 73 mo (range: 52-122 mo). RESULTS: IL-24 expression was found in 81 out of 90 patients; 31 showed weak intensity and 50 showed strong intensity. VEGF expression was found in 64 out of 90 patients. Negative and weak intensities of IL-24 expression were classified as negative expression for analysis. IL-24 expression was significantly reduced in poorly differentiated tumors in comparison with well or moderately differentiated tumors (P = 0.004), N2b to earlier N stages (P = 0.016), and stage IIIc to stage IIIa or IIIb (P = 0.028). The number of involved lymph nodes was also significantly reduced in IL-24-positive patients in comparison with IL-24-negative ones.There was no correlation between VEGF expression and patient characteristics. Expression of IL-24 and VEGF was not correlated with survival, but N stage and stages were significantly correlated with survival. CONCLUSION: IL-24 expression was significantly correlated with histological differentiation, and inversely correlated with the degree of lymph node involvement in stage III rectal cancer. PMID:21448421

Creating Effective Holocaust Education Programmes for Government Schools with Large Muslim Populations in Sydney

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Rutland, Suzanne D.

2010-01-01

Holocaust education can play a role in countering the ongoing problem of prejudice and incitement to hate that can lead to racial tension and violence. This article examines the beliefs of Muslim school children towards Jews in Sydney, Australia. It then discusses efforts to use Holocaust education to combat racist beliefs and hate language, and…

Current practice when treating lung cancer in Australasia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Holloway, L.

2007-01-01

A multidisciplinary meeting was held by the radiation oncology department of South Western Sydney Area Cancer Services in March 2003. This meeting was advertised in all radiation oncology departments in Australia and New Zealand. As a precursor to this meeting, a survey was undertaken on the use of radiotherapy for treating lung cancer. All departments in Australia and New Zealand were asked to participate. The survey considered planning techniques, delivery set-up and prescription doses for non-small-cell and small-cell lung cancer and palliative and radical treatments. A wide range in the techniques used was seen across departments, particularly when prescription doses and fractionation were considered

Telomerase Activity, Cytokeratin 20 and Cytokeratin 19 in Urine Cells of Bladder Cancer Patients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Morsi, M.I.; Youssef, A.I.; El-Sedafi, A.S.; Ghazal, A.A.; Zaher, E.R.; Hassouna, M.E.

2006-01-01

Aim of the Study: This work aims to search for markers suitable for the screening of bladder cancer, which should be specific, sensitive, reproducible, non-invasive and at acceptable cost. Patients and Methods: The study included 50 patients diagnosed as bladder cancer (35 TCC, 15 SCC) of different stages and grades, 30 patients with various urothelial diseases, besides 20 apparently healthy subjects of matched age and sex to the malignant group. A random midstream urine sample was collected in a sterile container for the determination of telomerase by RT-PCR, keratin 19 by ELSA CYFRA 21-1 IRMA kit, keratin 20 by RT-PCR and immunohistochemical staining, and urine cytology. Results: For all parameters (telomerase, K19, K20 and cytology) the malignant group was significantly different from both the benign and the control groups. None of the four studied parameters was correlated to the stage of the disease, and when it comes to grade, only KI9 showed a significant positive correlation with grade both in TCC and SCe. When ROC curves for all parameters were compared, K 19 had the largest area under the curve, and then comes K20 . o Conclusion: K 19 may be used as a biological marker for the diagnosis of bladder cancer. K 19 could not be used for differential diagnosis of different types of bladder cancer, meanwhile it could be a marker for differentiation that decreases in less differentiated tumors. As a tumor marker, K20 reflects inability to differentiate tumor type or grade in TCC, while in SCC of the bladder it is correlated with the grade. As a method, RT-PCR is superior to immunostaining for the detection of bladder cancer, meanwhile K20 immunohistochemistry ([HC) results were much better than urine cytology as a bladder cancer screening test. haematuria and inflammation reduced the specificity of telomerase assay, which reduced its validity as a tumor marker of bladder cancer. K 19 and K20 are the best candidates as screening tests for the diagnosis of bladder

Characteristics of people attending psychiatric clinics in inner Sydney homeless hostels.

Science.gov (United States)

Nielssen, Olav B; Stone, William; Jones, Naidene M; Challis, Sarah; Nielssen, Amelia; Elliott, Gordon; Burns, Nicholas; Rogoz, Astrid; Cooper, Lucy E; Large, Matthew M

2018-03-05

To describe the characteristics of people attending mental health clinics at shelters for the homeless in inner city Sydney. Retrospective review of medical records of homeless hostel clinic attenders. Mental health clinics located in three inner city homeless hostels. Consecutive series of clinic attenders, 21 July 2008 - 31 December 2016. Demographic characteristics; social, medical and mental health histories of homeless people. 2388 individual patients were seen at the clinics during the 8.5-year study period. Their mean age was 42 years (standard deviation, 13 years), 93% were men, and 56% were receiving disability support pensions. 59% of attenders had been homeless for more than a year, and 34% of all attenders reported sleeping in the open. The most common diagnoses were substance use disorder (66%), psychotic illness (51%), acquired brain injury (14%), and intellectual disability (5%). Most patients had more than one diagnosis. Early life and recent trauma was reported by 42% of patients. Pathways to homelessness included release from prison (28% of the homeless), discharge from a psychiatric hospital (21%), loss of public housing tenancy (21%), and inability to pay rent because of problem gambling. The high rates of substance use and mental disorder among homeless people in inner Sydney confirms the need for increased access to treatment for these conditions in this setting. Homelessness among those with mental illness might be reduced by developing alternative housing models, and supporting people with multiple problems to retain tenancy.

Challenging Racism through Schools: Teacher Attitudes to Cultural Diversity and Multicultural Education in Sydney, Australia

Science.gov (United States)

Forrest, James; Lean, Garth; Dunn, Kevin

2016-01-01

How school teachers act to challenge racism in schools is a vital concern in an immigrant society like Australia. A 10% response from a self-administered online survey of government (public) primary and secondary school teachers across Sydney, Australia's largest EthniCity, examines attitudes of classroom teachers towards cultural diversity, goals…

Socioeconomic status and patterns of care in lung cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hui, A.; Vinod, S.K.; Jalaludin, B.; Yuile, P.; Delaney, G.P.; Barton, M.

2003-01-01

This retrospective study aims to explore any associations between socioeconomic factors and lung cancer management and outcome in the Australian setting. The study population consisted of patients newly diagnosed with lung cancer in 1996 who were living in the Northern Sydney Area Health Service (NSAHS) or South Western Sydney Area Health Service (SWSAHS). These two Area Health Services differ in socioeconomic profiles based on socioeconomic indexes for areas (SEIFA), median income, education level and unemployment rate. Data on patient demographics, tumour characteristics, management details, recurrence and survival were collected, and the patterns of care were analysed. Socioeconomic status indicators of the two Area Health Services were imputed from the Australian Bureau of Statistics data. There were 270 and 256 new cases of lung cancer identified in NSAHS and SWSAHS respectively. Patients in NSAHS were slightly older (median age 73 versus 68 years) and there was less male predominance. The stage distributions and performance status of the two cohorts were similar. There were no significant differences in the utilisation rates of different treatment modalities between the two areas: radiotherapy (54% in NSAHS and 55% in SWSAHS), chemotherapy (34% and 25%), surgery (26% and 21%) and no treatment (22% and 25%). The 5-year overall survival was slightly in favour of NSAHS (10.5% and 7.4%), but did not reach statistical significance. Despite differences in socioeconomic profiles between the two area health services, patients with lung cancer had similar patterns of care and survival

Point-of-sale alcohol promotions in the Perth and Sydney metropolitan areas.

Science.gov (United States)

Jones, Sandra C; Barrie, Lance; Robinson, Laura; Allsop, Steve; Chikritzhs, Tanya

2012-09-01

Point-of-sale (POS) is increasingly being used as a marketing tool for alcohol products, and there is a growing body of evidence suggesting that these materials are positively associated with drinking and contribute to creating a pro-alcohol environment. The purpose of the present study was to document the nature and extent of POS alcohol promotions in bottle shops in two Australian capital cities. A purposive sample of 24 hotel bottle shops and liquor stores was selected across Sydney (New South Wales) and Perth (Western Australia) and audited for the presence and nature of POS marketing. Point-of-sale promotions were found to be ubiquitous, with an average of 33 promotions per outlet. Just over half were classified as 'non-price' promotions (e.g. giveaways and competitions). Spirits were the most commonly promoted type of alcohol. The average number of standard drinks required to participate in the promotions ranged from 12 for ready to drinks to 22 for beer. Alcohol outlets that were part of supermarket chains had a higher number of promotions, more price-based promotions, and required a greater quantity of alcohol to be purchased to participate in the promotion. The data collected in this study provides a starting point for our understanding of POS promotions in Australia, and poses important questions for future research in this area. © 2012 Australasian Professional Society on Alcohol and other Drugs.

Factors associated with violent victimisation among homeless adults in Sydney, Australia.

Science.gov (United States)

Larney, Sarah; Conroy, Elizabeth; Mills, Katherine L; Burns, Lucy; Teesson, Maree

2009-08-01

To determine the prevalence and correlates of violent victimisation among homeless people in inner-Sydney. Cross-sectional design. Clients of a shelter for homeless, substance-using adults were interviewed about their drug use, mental health and violent victimisation in the previous 12 months. Logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with victimisation. Participants reported complex drug use histories and high levels of depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and schizophrenia or other psychotic disorders. Forty-eight per cent of participants reported past year victimisation. In univariate analyses, being female, schizophrenia/psychotic disorder, PTSD, depression and regular use of psychostimulants were associated with increased risk of victimisation. In multivariate analyses, regular use of psychostimulants (odds ratio [95% CI] 5.07 [1.53-16.84]), schizophrenia or other psychotic disorder (3.13 [1.24-7.9], and depression (2.65 [1.07-6.59]) were associated with increased risk of victimisation. This sample of homeless, substance-using adults experienced high levels of violence. People with poor mental health and regular psychostimulant users were at greater risk of victimisation. A longitudinal study to determine whether victimisation prolongs homelessness is warranted. Clinical staff working with homeless populations need to be aware of the likelihood of past and future victimisation and its effects on mental health. Homeless persons may benefit from learning to identify risk situations for victimisation and how to de-escalate potentially violent situations.

Five cases of neurocysticercosis diagnosed in Sydney.

Science.gov (United States)

Walker, J; Chen, S; Packham, D; McIntyre, P

1991-12-01

Cysticercosis, once rare in Australia, is now more frequently diagnosed. This change reflects the countries of origin of new immigrants and the destinations of Australians travelling. Five cases of neurocysticercosis diagnosed at Westmead Hospital in Sydney are described. Two involved Australians, a father and son who had visited eastern and southeastern Asia 10 years before presentation. The other three included immigrants from Chile and India and a visitor from Timor. Ages ranged from 5 to 57 years. Three individuals presented after focal seizures involving the upper limb, one had a long standing history of neurological dysfunction and one suffered from persistent headaches. In all cases computed tomographic scanning (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed cystic brain lesions and three of the five were seropositive as well. Four were treated with praziquantel and in one the lesions regressed significantly following treatment. However, the lesion in one case had decreased in size prior to treatment and that in the untreated individual also became smaller.

Psychometric validation of the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire-Endometrial Cancer Module (EORTC QLQ-EN24)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Greimel, Elfriede; Nordin, Andy; Lanceley, Anne

2011-01-01

A validation study was conducted to evaluate the psychometric properties of the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Quality of Life Questionnaire-Endometrial Cancer Module (EORTC QLQ-EN24). This module was designed to assess disease and treatment specific aspects of...

Bladder cancer detection using a peptide substrate of the 20S proteasome.

Science.gov (United States)

Gruba, Natalia; Wysocka, Magdalena; Brzezińska, Magdalena; Dębowski, Dawid; Sieńczyk, Marcin; Gorodkiewicz, Ewa; Guszcz, Tomasz; Czaplewski, Cezary; Rolka, Krzysztof; Lesner, Adam

2016-08-01

The 20S catalytic core of the human 26S proteasome can be secreted from cells, and high levels of extracellular 20S proteasome have been linked to many types of cancers and autoimmune diseases. Several diagnostic approaches have been developed that detect 20S proteasome activity in plasma, but these suffer from problems with efficiency and sensitivity. In this report, we describe the optimization and synthesis of an internally quenched fluorescent substrate of the 20S proteasome, and investigate its use as a potential diagnostic test in bladder cancer. This peptide, 2-aminobenzoic acid (ABZ)-Val-Val-Ser-Tyr-Ala-Met-Gly-Tyr(3-NO2 )-NH2 , is cleaved by the chymotrypsin 20S proteasome subunit and displays an excellent specificity constant value (9.7 × 10(5)  m(-1) ·s(-1) ) and a high kcat (8 s(-1) ). Using this peptide, we identified chymotrypsin-like proteasome activity in the majority of urine samples obtained from patients with bladder cancer, whereas the proteasome activity in urine samples from healthy volunteers was below the detection limit (0.5 pm). These findings were confirmed by an inhibitory study and immunochemistry methods. © 2016 Federation of European Biochemical Societies.

Association Of Common Variants On Chromosome 8q24 With Gastric Cancer In Venezuelan Patients

OpenAIRE

Labrador; Luis; Torres; Keila; Camargo; Maria; Santiago; Laskhmi; Valderrama; Elvis; Angel Chiurillo; Miguel

2016-01-01

Gastric cancer remains one of the leading causes of death in the world, being Central and South America among the regions showing the highest incidence and mortality rates worldwide. Although several single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) identified in the chromosomal region 8q24 by genome-wide association studies have been related with the risk of different kinds of cancers, their role in the susceptibility of gastric cancer in Latin American populations has not been evaluated yet. Hereby, w...

Forensic assessment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons at the former Sydney Tar Ponds and surrounding environment using fingerprint techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

MacAskill, N. Devin; Walker, Tony R.; Oakes, Ken; Walsh, Margaret

2016-01-01

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were assessed spatially and temporally within and adjacent to a former coking and steel manufacturing facility in Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada. Concentrations of PAHs were measured in surface soils, marine and estuary sediments prior to and during remediation of the Sydney Tar Ponds (STPs) site which was contaminated by nearly a century of coking and steel production. Previous studies identified PAHs in surficial marine sediments within Sydney Harbour, which were considered to be derived from STP discharges. Numerous PAH fingerprint techniques (diagnostic ratios, principal component analysis, quantitative and qualitative analysis) were applied to soil and sediment samples from the STPs and surrounding area to identify common source apportionment of PAHs. Results indicate coal combustion (from historical residential, commercial and industrial uses) and coal handling (from historic on-site stockpiling and current coal transfer and shipment facilities) are likely the principal source of PAHs found in urban soils and marine sediments, consistent with current and historical activities near these sites. However, PAH fingerprints associated with STP sediments correlated poorly with those of urban soils and marine sediments, but were similar to coal tar, historically consistent with by-products produced by the former coking operations. This study suggests PAH contamination of Sydney Harbour sediments and urban soils is largely unrelated to historic coking operations or recent remediation of the STPs site, but rather a legacy of extensive use of coal for a variety of activities. - Highlights: • PAHs were measured in soils and sediments near a former coking and steel facility. • Previous studies identified tar residues as main source of PAHs in marine sediments. • PAH fingerprint techniques were used to identify common source apportionment. • Fingerprint techniques indicated common sources derived from coal, not tar residues

The origin and development of extragalactic radio astronomy: the role of CSIRO's Division of Radiophysics Dover Heights Field Station in Sydney

Science.gov (United States)

Orchiston, Wayne; Robertson, Peter

2017-12-01

Initial post-war developments in non-solar radio astronomy were inspired by Hey, Phillips and Parson’s report in 1946 of an intense source of radio emission in Cygnus. This so-called ‘radio star’ was unique, and questions immediately were raised about its true nature. But it did not remain unique for long. Observing from Sydney, John Bolton, Gordon Stanley and Bruce Slee followed up the Cygnus discovery with more radio star detections, beginning what would evolve into a long-term multi-faceted research program and one of the mainstays of the CSIRO’s Division of Radiophysics. But more than this, these early discoveries in England and in Sydney opened up a whole new field of investigation, extragalactic radio astronomy, which has remained a major area of investigation through to the present day. This paper focusses on the early years of this program when the observations were carried out at Dover Heights Field Station in Sydney, and the ways in which new developments in instrumentation that allowed a major expansion of the program eventually led to the closure of Dover Heights and the founding of the Fleurs Field Station.

Women's Health at Work Program: musculoskeletal pain experienced by women of Chinese background working on market gardens in the Sydney Basin.

Science.gov (United States)

Innes, Ev; Crowther, Amber; Fonti, Fiona; Quayle, Leonie

2010-01-01

OBJECTIVE/PARTICIPANTS: This report describes a project undertaken by three final (4th) year occupational therapy undergraduate students from the University of Sydney, Australia, in their final fieldwork placement. The project involved women from a Chinese background who worked on market gardens across the Sydney Basin. Its purpose was to identify musculoskeletal risks in the work environment and work practices of a selected group of seven Cantonese-speaking women working on market gardens in the Western Sydney region. The approaches used in the project reflected a risk management approach, and involved background research, initial interviews, task analysis, hazard identification, risk assessment, data analysis, identification of key issues, and developing recommendations, in collaboration with participants and consultation with professionals. The key issues identified as contributing factors to musculoskeletal pain and injuries were: (1) work practices (long work hours, repetitive work); (2) biomechanical factors (repetitive and sustained work postures, poor manual handling practices) and limited training; (3) ergonomics of the equipment used; (4) fatigue. Two priority areas for intervention were identified: (1) pain management, and (2) preventative strategies (improving both the work environment and work practices). Recommendations were made in collaboration with the women, and in consultation with health professionals.

Prenatal Brain MR Imaging: Reference Linear Biometric Centiles between 20 and 24 Gestational Weeks.

Science.gov (United States)

Conte, G; Milani, S; Palumbo, G; Talenti, G; Boito, S; Rustico, M; Triulzi, F; Righini, A; Izzo, G; Doneda, C; Zolin, A; Parazzini, C

2018-05-01

Evaluation of biometry is a fundamental step in prenatal brain MR imaging. While different studies have reported reference centiles for MR imaging biometric data of fetuses in the late second and third trimesters of gestation, no one has reported them in fetuses in the early second trimester. We report centiles of normal MR imaging linear biometric data of a large cohort of fetal brains within 24 weeks of gestation. From the data bases of 2 referral centers of fetal medicine, accounting for 3850 examinations, we retrospectively collected 169 prenatal brain MR imaging examinations of singleton pregnancies, between 20 and 24 weeks of gestational age, with normal brain anatomy at MR imaging and normal postnatal neurologic development. To trace the reference centiles, we used the CG-LMS method. Reference biometric centiles for the developing structures of the cerebrum, cerebellum, brain stem, and theca were obtained. The overall interassessor agreement was adequate for all measurements. Reference biometric centiles of the brain structures in fetuses between 20 and 24 weeks of gestational age may be a reliable tool in assessing fetal brain development. © 2018 by American Journal of Neuroradiology.

Strategies to improve adherence to treatment in adolescents and young adults with cancer: a systematic review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Robertson EG

2015-07-01

Full Text Available Eden G Robertson,1,2 Claire E Wakefield,1,2 Kate H Marshall,2 Ursula M Sansom-Daly1–3 1Discipline of Paediatrics, School of Women's and Children's Health, UNSW Medicine, University of New South Wales, University of New South Wales, Kensington, NSW, Australia; 2Behavioural Sciences Unit, Kids Cancer Centre, Sydney Children's Hospital, 3Sydney Youth Cancer Service, Prince of Wales/Sydney Children's Hospital, Randwick, NSW, Australia Purpose: Adolescents and young adults (AYAs with cancer have higher rates of nonadherence to treatment relative to younger and older cancer patients. Efforts to improve adherence in this population are therefore increasing. This review aimed: 1 to synthesize recommendations and strategies used to improve treatment adherence in AYAs with cancer, and 2 to summarize the available evidence supporting the efficacy of adherence-promoting strategies for AYAs with cancer.Methods: We conducted a systematic review with two stages: 1 a narrative stage, to analyze expert recommendations, and 2 an evaluative stage, to summarize quantitative evidence for interventions. Four electronic databases were searched for studies involving AYAs, aged 10–39 years, with cancer, published from 2005 to 2015. Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA guidelines were used to ensure quality of the review. The Delphi list was used to assess study quality.Results: Nine articles were identified in the narrative stage of the review. For the evaluative stage, out of 113 screened abstracts, only one eligible intervention was identified. Common themes of adherence-promoting strategies were grouped into five domains: developmental, communication, educational, psychological well-being, and logistical/management strategies. Strategies to address developmental stage and to improve communication were the most highly recommended to improve adherence. Few strategies focused on the role of the patient in adherence. One

Three new pancreatic cancer susceptibility signals identified on chromosomes 1q32.1, 5p15.33 and 8q24.21

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Mingfeng; Wang, Zhaoming; Obazee, Ofure; Jia, Jinping; Childs, Erica J.; Hoskins, Jason; Figlioli, Gisella; Mocci, Evelina; Collins, Irene; Chung, Charles C.; Hautman, Christopher; Arslan, Alan A.; Beane-Freeman, Laura; Bracci, Paige M.; Buring, Julie; Duell, Eric J.; Gallinger, Steven; Giles, Graham G.; Goodman, Gary E.; Goodman, Phyllis J.; Kamineni, Aruna; Kolonel, Laurence N.; Kulke, Matthew H.; Malats, Núria; Olson, Sara H.; Sesso, Howard D.; Visvanathan, Kala; White, Emily; Zheng, Wei; Abnet, Christian C.; Albanes, Demetrius; Andreotti, Gabriella; Brais, Lauren; Bueno-de-Mesquita, H. Bas; Basso, Daniela; Berndt, Sonja I.; Boutron-Ruault, Marie-Christine; Bijlsma, Maarten F.; Brenner, Hermann; Burdette, Laurie; Campa, Daniele; Caporaso, Neil E.; Capurso, Gabriele; Cavestro, Giulia Martina; Cotterchio, Michelle; Costello, Eithne; Elena, Joanne; Boggi, Ugo; Gaziano, J. Michael; Gazouli, Maria; Giovannucci, Edward L.; Goggins, Michael; Gross, Myron; Haiman, Christopher A.; Hassan, Manal; Helzlsouer, Kathy J.; Hu, Nan; Hunter, David J.; Iskierka-Jazdzewska, Elzbieta; Jenab, Mazda; Kaaks, Rudolf; Key, Timothy J.; Khaw, Kay-Tee; Klein, Eric A.; Kogevinas, Manolis; Krogh, Vittorio; Kupcinskas, Juozas; Kurtz, Robert C.; Landi, Maria T.; Landi, Stefano; Marchand, Le Loic; Mambrini, Andrea; Mannisto, Satu; Milne, Roger L.; Neale, Rachel E.; Oberg, Ann L.; Panico, Salvatore; Patel, Alpa V.; Peeters, Petra H. M.; Peters, Ulrike; Pezzilli, Raffaele; Porta, Miquel; Purdue, Mark; Quiros, J. Ramón; Riboli, Elio; Rothman, Nathaniel; Scarpa, Aldo; Scelo, Ghislaine; Shu, Xiao-Ou; Silverman, Debra T.; Soucek, Pavel; Strobel, Oliver; Sund, Malin; Małecka-Panas, Ewa; Taylor, Philip R.; Tavano, Francesca; Travis, Ruth C.; Thornquist, Mark; Tjønneland, Anne; Tobias, Geoffrey S.; Trichopoulos, Dimitrios; Vashist, Yogesh; Vodicka, Pavel; Wactawski-Wende, Jean; Wentzensen, Nicolas; Yu, Herbert; Yu, Kai; Zeleniuch-Jacquotte, Anne; Kooperberg, Charles; Risch, Harvey A.; Jacobs, Eric J.; Li, Donghui; Fuchs, Charles; Hoover, Robert; Hartge, Patricia; Chanock, Stephen J.; Petersen, Gloria M.; Stolzenberg-Solomon, Rachael S.; Wolpin, Brian M.; Kraft, Peter; Klein, Alison P.; Canzian, Federico; Amundadottir, Laufey T.

2016-01-01

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified common pancreatic cancer susceptibility variants at 13 chromosomal loci in individuals of European descent. To identify new susceptibility variants, we performed imputation based on 1000 Genomes (1000G) Project data and association analysis using 5,107 case and 8,845 control subjects from 27 cohort and case-control studies that participated in the PanScan I-III GWAS. This analysis, in combination with a two-staged replication in an additional 6,076 case and 7,555 control subjects from the PANcreatic Disease ReseArch (PANDoRA) and Pancreatic Cancer Case-Control (PanC4) Consortia uncovered 3 new pancreatic cancer risk signals marked by single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) rs2816938 at chromosome 1q32.1 (per allele odds ratio (OR) = 1.20, P = 4.88×10−15), rs10094872 at 8q24.21 (OR = 1.15, P = 3.22×10−9) and rs35226131 at 5p15.33 (OR = 0.71, P = 1.70×10−8). These SNPs represent independent risk variants at previously identified pancreatic cancer risk loci on chr1q32.1 (NR5A2), chr8q24.21 (MYC) and chr5p15.33 (CLPTM1L-TERT) as per analyses conditioned on previously reported susceptibility variants. We assessed expression of candidate genes at the three risk loci in histologically normal (n = 10) and tumor (n = 8) derived pancreatic tissue samples and observed a marked reduction of NR5A2 expression (chr1q32.1) in the tumors (fold change -7.6, P = 5.7×10−8). This finding was validated in a second set of paired (n = 20) histologically normal and tumor derived pancreatic tissue samples (average fold change for three NR5A2 isoforms -31.3 to -95.7, P = 7.5×10−4-2.0×10−3). Our study has identified new susceptibility variants independently conferring pancreatic cancer risk that merit functional follow-up to identify target genes and explain the underlying biology. PMID:27579533

Seroprevalence study of feline coronavirus in owned and feral cats in Sydney, Australia.

Science.gov (United States)

Bell, E T; Toribio, J A L M L; White, J D; Malik, R; Norris, J M

2006-03-01

i) To establish the seroprevalence of Feline Coronavirus (FCoV) infection in two defined groups of cats in Sydney: owned and feral cats; ii) to identify factors associated with an increased risk of infection with FCoV; and iii) to establish the seroprevalence and FCoV antibody titres of owned cats with immunohistochemically confirmed feline infectious peritonitis (FIP). Prospective multi-institutional cross sectional study. Procedure Serum samples from owned cats presented to three inner city veterinary clinics in Sydney and feral cats from a colony in South Western Sydney over an 11-month period were tested for FCoV antibodies using the Immunocomb test kit. The relationship between serological score and six major factors (breed, age, gender, number of cats per household, living environment and health status) in the owned cat sample population was analysed and compared to cats with FIR RESULTS: The seroprevalence of FCoV infection in the sample population of owned and feral cats was 34% and 0%, respectively. The median Immunocomb scores of DSH, Persian, Siamese and Devon Rex cats were significantly lower than that of Burmese, BSH, Abyssinian, Birman, Ragdoll and Russian Blue. The median lmmunocomb score of pedigree cats less than 2 years-of-age was significantly higher than for pedigree cats greater than 2 years-of-age. This distinction was not evident in DSH cats in these age groups. The number of cats per household at the time of blood collection had a strong positive association with Immunocomb score. The median Immunocomb score of cats with immunohistochemically confirmed FIP was significantly higher than cats in the sample population of owned cats but there was sufficient overlap between these two groups to make definitive diagnosis of FIP by serology impossible. This represents the first seroprevalence study of FCoV in Australia. The major determinants of antibody score of owned cats identified in this study were breed, age and the number of cats per

Reproductive hormones and metabolic syndrome in 24 testicular cancer survivors and their biological brothers

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bandak, M.; Jorgensen, N.; Juul, A.

2017-01-01

) criteria comprised the main outcome measures of the study. Median age was similar in testicular cancer survivors and their biological brothers [44 years (IQR 39–50) vs. 46 (40–53) years respectively (p = 0.1)]. In testicular cancer survivors, follow-up since treatment was 12 years (7–19). Serum levels...... was to clarify if testicular cancer survivors have impaired gonadal function and increased risk of metabolic syndrome when compared to their biological brothers. A cross-sectional study of testicular cancer survivors (ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT02240966) was conducted between 2014 and 2016. Of 158 testicular...... cancer survivors included, 24 had a biological brother who accepted to participate in the study. Serum levels of reproductive hormones and prevalence of metabolic syndrome according to International Diabetes Federation Criteria and National Cholesterol Education Program (Adult Treatment Panel III...

A bioengineered murine model using CD24+CD44+ pancreatic cancer stem cells for chemotherapy study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Qin, Shengqi; Li, Jianshe; Zhang, Zhongtao; Deng, Yiming

2015-01-01

In this work we first developed a murine pancreatic tumor model using CD24 + CD44 + pancreatic cancer stem cells (CSC) supported by an electrospun scaffold. Unlike conventional models, the use of CSC and the scaffold, which were biologically and chemically defined, afforded scientists a reliable platform to evaluate novel chemotherapy regimens. CD24 + CD44 + CSC successfully initiated tumorigenesis in vitro on the scaffold without suffering apoptosis, evidencing the lack of cytotoxicity of scaffolding materials. Also, the scaffold contributed to the acceleration of in vivo tumorigenesis and increased the likelihood of tumor formation. Using this model, we set out to explore the effectiveness of irinotecan/gemcitabine (IRIN-GEM), a chemotherapy regimen, for pancreatic cancer. Our study showed that IRIN-GEM induced a tumor regression whereas gemcitabine alone could only arrest the tumor growth. Further study suggested that the superior performance of IRIN-GEM could be attributed to its capacity to demolish the CD24 + CD44 + CSC sub-population by inducing a large-scale apoptosis. The use of highly proliferative yet homogenous CD24 + CD44 + CSC along with a chemically defined scaffold accelerated the tumor formation and significantly reduced the variability associated with conventional murine models. Armed with this new model, we discovered that IRIN-GEM would be a promising chemotherapy candidate for patients with advanced pancreatic cancer. (paper)

Characterization of cancer stem cell properties of CD24 and CD26-positive human malignant mesothelioma cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yamazaki, Hiroto; Naito, Motohiko; Ghani, Farhana Ishrat [Division of Clinical Immunology, Institute of Medical Science, University of Tokyo, Tokyo (Japan); Dang, Nam H. [Division of Hematology/Oncology, University of Florida Shands Cancer Center, Gainesville, FL 32610 (United States); Iwata, Satoshi [Division of Clinical Immunology, Institute of Medical Science, University of Tokyo, Tokyo (Japan); Morimoto, Chikao, E-mail: morimoto@ims.u-tokyo.ac.jp [Division of Clinical Immunology, Institute of Medical Science, University of Tokyo, Tokyo (Japan)

2012-03-16

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer We focused on CD24 and CD26 for further analysis of CSC properties in MM. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Their expressions were correlated with chemoresistance, cell growth, and invasion. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Their expressions were also correlated with several cancer related genes. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The expression of each marker was correlated with different CSC property in Meso1. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Phosphorylation of ERK by EGF was regulated by expression of CD26, but not CD24. -- Abstract: Malignant mesothelioma (MM) is an asbestos-related malignancy characterized by rapid growth and poor prognosis. In our previous study, we have demonstrated that several cancer stem cell (CSC) markers correlated with CSC properties in MM cells. Among these markers, we focused on two: CD24, the common CSC marker, and CD26, the additional CSC marker. We further analyzed the CSC properties of CD24 and CD26-positve MM cells. We established RNAi-knockdown cells and found that these markers were significantly correlated with chemoresistance, proliferation, and invasion potentials in vitro. Interestingly, while Meso-1 cells expressed both CD24 and CD26, the presence of each of these two markers was correlated with different CSC property. In addition, downstream signaling of these markers was explored by microarray analysis, which revealed that their expressions were correlated with several cancer-related genes. Furthermore, phosphorylation of ERK by EGF stimulation was significantly affected by the expression of CD26, but not CD24. These results suggest that CD24 and CD26 differentially regulate the CSC potentials of MM and could be promising targets for CSC-oriented therapy.

MeInfoText 2.0: gene methylation and cancer relation extraction from biomedical literature

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fang Yu-Ching

2011-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background DNA methylation is regarded as a potential biomarker in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. The relations between aberrant gene methylation and cancer development have been identified by a number of recent scientific studies. In a previous work, we used co-occurrences to mine those associations and compiled the MeInfoText 1.0 database. To reduce the amount of manual curation and improve the accuracy of relation extraction, we have now developed MeInfoText 2.0, which uses a machine learning-based approach to extract gene methylation-cancer relations. Description Two maximum entropy models are trained to predict if aberrant gene methylation is related to any type of cancer mentioned in the literature. After evaluation based on 10-fold cross-validation, the average precision/recall rates of the two models are 94.7/90.1 and 91.8/90% respectively. MeInfoText 2.0 provides the gene methylation profiles of different types of human cancer. The extracted relations with maximum probability, evidence sentences, and specific gene information are also retrievable. The database is available at http://bws.iis.sinica.edu.tw:8081/MeInfoText2/. Conclusion The previous version, MeInfoText, was developed by using association rules, whereas MeInfoText 2.0 is based on a new framework that combines machine learning, dictionary lookup and pattern matching for epigenetics information extraction. The results of experiments show that MeInfoText 2.0 outperforms existing tools in many respects. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study that uses a hybrid approach to extract gene methylation-cancer relations. It is also the first attempt to develop a gene methylation and cancer relation corpus.

KIF20A-Mediated RNA Granule Transport System Promotes the Invasiveness of Pancreatic Cancer Cells

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Keisuke Taniuchi

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Pancreatic cancers are aggressive because they are highly invasive and highly metastatic; moreover, effective treatments for aggressive pancreatic cancers are lacking. Here, we report that the motor kinesin protein KIF20A promoted the motility and invasiveness of pancreatic cancer cells through transporting the RNA-binding protein IGF2BP3 and IGF2BP3-bound transcripts toward cell protrusions along microtubules. We previously reported that IGF2BP3 and its target transcripts are assembled into cytoplasmic stress granules of pancreatic cancer cells, and that IGF2BP3 promotes the motility and invasiveness of pancreatic cancer cells through regulation of localized translation of IGF2BP3-bound transcripts in cell protrusions. We show that knockdown of KIF20A inhibited accumulation of IGF2BP3-containing stress granules in cell protrusions and suppressed local protein expression from specific IGF2BP3-bound transcripts, ARF6 and ARHGEF4, in the protrusions. Our results provide insight into the link between regulation of KIF20A-mediated trafficking of IGF2BP3-containing stress granules and modulation of the motility and invasiveness in pancreatic cancers.

A Report on the Peace Education Commission Program, International Peace Research Association Conference 2010, Sydney, Australia

Science.gov (United States)

Toh, Swee-Hin

2010-01-01

From July 6th to 10th, 2010, International Peace Research Association (IPRA) held its biennial conference at the University of Sydney in Australia. Hosted by the University's Centre for Peace & Conflict Studies and coordinated by Jake Lynch and a team of dedicated staff and volunteers, the conference featured seven plenary panels and many…

СD44+/CD24- markers of cancer stem cells in patients with breast cancer of different molecular subtypes.

Science.gov (United States)

Chekhun, S V; Zadvorny, T V; Tymovska, Yu O; Anikusko, M F; Novak, O E; Polishchuk, L Z

2015-03-01

To determine frequency of tumors with immunohistochemical markers of cancer stem cells (CSC) CD44+/CD24- in patients with breast cancer (BC) of different molecular subtype and to evaluate their prognostic value. Surgical material of 132 patients with BC stage I-II, age from 23 to 75 years, mean age - 50.2 ± 3.1 years was studied. Clinical, immunohistochemical (expression CD44+/CD24-), morphological, statistical. BC is characterized by heterogeneity of molecular subtypes and expression of markers (CD44+/CD24-). Immunohistochemical study of expression of CSC markers in surgical material has detected their expression in 34 (25.4%) patients with BC of different molecular subtypes. The highest frequency of cells with expression of CSC marker was observed in patients with basal molecular subtype (44.8% patients). Most of BC patients with phenotype CD44+/CD24 had stage I of tumor process (34.3%). Statistical processing of data has showen that Yule colligation coefficient equaled 0.28 (р > 0.05) that argues poor correlation between stage of tumor process and number of tumors with positive expression of CSC markers. Statistical processing of data has showen high correlation between presence of cells with expression of CSC markers and metastases of BC in regional lymph nodes (Yule colligation coefficient equals 0.943; р molecular subtype depending on expression of CSC CD44+/CD24- markers was detected. Survival of patients with basal BC was reliably higher at lack in tumors of cells with CSC markers CD44+/CD24- and, correspondingly, lower at presence of such cells (р markers was not determined (р > 0.05). Significance of tumor cells with markers CD44+/CD24- within the limits of molecular subtype of BC may be additional criterion for advanced biological characteristic of BC, and in patients with BC of basal molecular subtype - for predictive evaluation of individual potential of tumor to aggressive clinical course.

Association of common variants on chromosome 8q24 with gastric cancer in Venezuelan patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Labrador, Luis; Torres, Keila; Camargo, Maria; Santiago, Laskhmi; Valderrama, Elvis; Chiurillo, Miguel Angel

2015-07-15

Gastric cancer remains one of the leading causes of death in the world, being Central and South America among the regions showing the highest incidence and mortality rates worldwide. Although several single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) identified in the chromosomal region 8q24 by genome-wide association studies have been related with the risk of different kinds of cancers, their role in the susceptibility of gastric cancer in Latin American populations has not been evaluated yet. Hereby, we performed a case-control study to explore the associations between three SNPs at 8q24 and gastric cancer risk in Venezuelan patients. We analyzed rs1447295, rs4733616 and rs6983267 SNPs in 122 paraffin-embedded tumor samples from archival bank and 129 samples with chronic gastritis (obtained by upper endoscopy during the study) from the Central Hospital of Barquisimeto (Lara, Venezuela). Genotypes were determined by PCR-RFLP reactions designed in this study for efficient genotyping of formalin-fixed/paraffin-embedded tissues. No significant differences in genotype frequencies between case and control groups were found. However, carriers of the homozygous TT genotype of SNP rs4733616 had an increased risk of developing poorly differentiated gastric cancer according to the codominant (OR=3.59, P=0.035) and the recessive models (OR=4.32, P=0.014, best-fitting model of inheritance), adjusted by age and gender. Our study suggests that the SNP rs4733616 is associated with susceptibility to poorly differentiated gastric cancer in Venezuelans. Additional studies are needed to further interrogate the prognostic value of the rs4733616 marker in this high-risk population for gastric cancer. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effectiveness of remediation of metal-contaminated mangrove sediments (Sydney estuary, Australia).

Science.gov (United States)

Birch, Gavin; Nath, Bibhash; Chaudhuri, Punarbasu

2015-04-01

Industrial activities and urbanization have had a major consequence for estuarine ecosystem health and water quality globally. Likewise, Sydney estuary has been significantly impacted by widespread, poor industrial practices in the past, and remediation of legacy contaminants have been undertaken in limited parts of this waterway. The objective of the present investigation was to determine the effectiveness of remediation of a former Pb-contaminated industrial site in Homebush Bay on Sydney estuary (Australia) through sampling of inter-tidal sediments and mangrove (Avicennia marina) tissue (fine nutritive roots, pneumatophores, and leaves). Results indicate that since remediation 6 years previously, Pb and other metals (Cu, Ni and Zn) in surficial sediment have increased to concentrations that approach pre-remediation levels and that they were considerably higher than pre-settlement levels (3-30 times), as well as at the reference site. Most metals were compartmentalized in fine nutritive roots with bio-concentration factors greater than unity, while tissues of pneumatophores and leaves contained low metal concentrations. Lead concentrations in fine nutritive root, pneumatophore, and leaf tissue of mangroves from the remediated site were similar to trees in un-remediated sites of the estuary and were substantially higher than plants at the reference site. The situation for Zn in fine nutritive root tissue was similar. The source of the metals was either surface/subsurface water from the catchment or more likely remobilized contaminated sediment from un-remediated parts of Homebush Bay. Results of this study demonstrate the problems facing management in attempting to reduce contamination in small parts of a large impacted area to concentrations below local base level.

Ethnicity and Public Space in the City: Ethnic Precincts in Sydney

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jock Collins

2009-08-01

Full Text Available Ethnic precincts are one example of the way that cultural diversity shapes public spaces in the postmodern metropolis. Ethnic precincts are essentially clusters of ethnic or immigrant entrepreneurs in areas that are designated as ethnic precincts by place marketers and government officials and display iconography related to that ethnicity in the build environment of the precinct. They are characterized by the presence of a substantial number of immigrant entrepreneurs of the same ethnicity as the precinct who line the streets of the precinct selling food, goods or services to many co-ethnics and non co-ethnics alike. Ethnic precincts are thus a key site of the production and consumption of the ethnic economy, a commodification of place where the symbolic economy of space (Zukin 1995:23-4 is constructed on representations of ethnicity and ‘immigrantness’. To explore some dimensions of the way that ethnic diversity shapes public space we present the findings of recent fieldwork in four Sydney ethnic precincts: Chinatown, Little Italy, Auburn (“Little Turkey” and Cabramatta (“Vietnamatta”. This fieldwork explores the complex and sometimes contradictory relationship between immigrant entrepreneurs, local government authorities, and ethnic community representatives in shaping the emergence of, and development of, ethnic precincts. It demonstrates how perceptions of the authenticity of precincts as ethnic places and spaces varies in the eyes of consumers or customers according to whether they are ‘co-ethnic’, ‘co-cultural’ or ‘Others”. It explores relations of production and consumption within the ethnic precinct and how these are embedded within the domain of regulation in the daily life of these four Sydney ethnic precincts.

Prostate cancer guidelines on Web 2.0-based sites: the screening dilemma continues online.

Science.gov (United States)

Friedman, Daniela B; Koskan, Alexis; Rose, India D

2011-03-01

Little is known about prostate cancer (PrCA) screening information on participatory, interactive, and consumer-generated websites collectively referred to as Web 2.0. A content analysis was conducted of PrCA resources on four highly trafficked Web 2.0 social bookmarking sites. A total of 127 webpages were analyzed. Most content was from news websites (48.9%) and blogs (37.8%). PrCA screening was mentioned on 95.3% of pages; only 30.7% discussed the prostate-specific antigen test. Less than half (43.8%) mentioned current screening guidelines. PrCA content is inconsistent on Web 2.0 sites. Future research should assess the readability and usability of Web 2.0 cancer resources.

Semisynthesis and bioactive evaluation of oxidized products from 20(S)-ginsenoside Rg3, Rh2, protopanaxadiol (PPD) and their 20(R)-epimers as cytotoxic agents.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Jie; Li, Xuwen; Sun, Ting; Gao, Yan; Chen, Yanxin; Jin, Yongri; Li, Yang

2016-02-01

A series of oxidized products have been systematically semisynthesized from 20(S)-ginsenoside Rg3, Rh2, 20(S)-protopanaxadiol (PPD) and their 20(R)-epimers and the majority of these products were evaluated for their cytotoxic activity against HeLa cells and HepG2 cells by MTT assay for the first time. Twenty-two products were obtained and elucidated based on comprehensive (1)H NMR, (13)C NMR, two-dimensional (2D) NMR, and mass spectral data and the results reported in previous literature. All the four ocotillol type saponins (20S,24R(δ86, δ85); 20S,24S(δ87, δ88); 20R,24R(δ86, δ86); 20R,24S(δ86, δ87) were obtained. In addition, eight compounds (3, 8, 9, 10, 15, 16, 19 and 22) with the cyclized side chain were firstly identified. Most of the tested compounds possessed cytotoxicity to a certain degree against the two types of cells which implied these oxidized products could play a certain role on anti-cancer functions of the raw materials in vivo. Meanwhile, the results proved that the configurations at C-20 or C-24 and the number of glycosyl at C-3 have important influence on the cytotoxicity. The products 1, 2, 11-17, 20 and 22 should possess great activities and deserved further investigation as potential cytotoxic agents. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effect of storage on the quality of purified live Pacific and Sydney rock oysters

OpenAIRE

Bird, P; Arnold, G; Holliday, J; Boronovshy, A

1992-01-01

In December, 1990, the N.S.W. Minister for Agriculture and Rural Affairs removed the Pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas) from the noxious fish list for the Port Stephens area, permitting it's cultivation. As Port Stephens Pacific oysters are grown intertidally, similar to Sydney rock oysters (Saccostrea commercialis) there was a belief that they may have different storage requirements to overseas Pacific oysters which are cultivated in deep water exclusively. Consequently, the keeping quality ...

The use of complementary and alternative medicine among people living with diabetes in Sydney

OpenAIRE

Manya, Kiran; Champion, Bernard; Dunning, Trisha

2012-01-01

Abstract Background Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is common in patients with chronic disease such as diabetes mellitus. The primary objective of the study was to determine the overall prevalence and type of CAM use in individuals with diabetes mellitus (DM) in Western Sydney and to compare the prevalence and factors associated with CAM use with the literature. Methods A multicenter cross-sectional study was undertaken using a self-completed questionnaire distributed to patients...

Post-wildfire recovery of water yield in the Sydney Basin water supply catchments: An assessment of the 2001/2002 wildfires

Science.gov (United States)

Heath, J. T.; Chafer, C. J.; van Ogtrop, F. F.; Bishop, T. F. A.

2014-11-01

Wildfire is a recurring event which has been acknowledged by the literature to impact the hydrological cycle of a catchment. Hence, wildfire may have a significant impact on water yield levels within a catchment. In Australia, studies of the effect of fire on water yield have been limited to obligate seeder vegetation communities. These communities regenerate from seed banks in the ground or within woody fruits and are generally activated by fire. In contrast, the Sydney Basin is dominated by obligate resprouter communities. These communities regenerate from fire resistant buds found on the plant and are generally found in regions where wildfire is a regular occurrence. The 2001/2002 wildfires in the Sydney Basin provided an opportunity to investigate the impacts of wildfire on water yield in a number of catchments dominated by obligate resprouting communities. The overall aim of this study was to investigate whether there was a difference in water yield post-wildfire. Four burnt subcatchments and 3 control subcatchments were assessed. A general additive model was calibrated using pre-wildfire data and then used to predict post-wildfire water yield using post-wildfire data. The model errors were analysed and it was found that the errors for all subcatchments showed similar trends for the post-wildfire period. This finding demonstrates that wildfires within the Sydney Basin have no significant medium-term impact on water yield.

Cognition and mortality in older people: the Sydney Memory and Ageing Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Connors, Michael H; Sachdev, Perminder S; Kochan, Nicole A; Xu, Jing; Draper, Brian; Brodaty, Henry

2015-11-01

Both cognitive ability and cognitive decline have been shown to predict mortality in older people. As dementia, a major form of cognitive decline, has an established association with shorter survival, it is unclear the extent to which cognitive ability and cognitive decline predict mortality in the absence of dementia. To determine whether cognitive ability and decline in cognitive ability predict mortality in older individuals without dementia. The Sydney Memory and Ageing Study is an observational population-based cohort study. Participants completed detailed neuropsychological assessments and medical examinations to assess for risk factors such as depression, obesity, hypertension, diabetes, hypercholesterolaemia, smoking and physical activity. Participants were regularly assessed at 2-year intervals over 8 years. A community sample in Sydney, Australia. One thousand and thirty-seven elderly people without dementia. Overall, 236 (22.8%) participants died within 8 years. Both cognitive ability at baseline and decline in cognitive ability over 2 years predicted mortality. Decline in cognitive ability, but not baseline cognitive ability, was a significant predictor of mortality when depression and other medical risk factors were controlled for. These relationships also held when excluding incident cases of dementia. The findings indicate that decline in cognition is a robust predictor of mortality in older people without dementia at a population level. This relationship is not accounted for by co-morbid depression or other established biomedical risk factors. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Geriatrics Society. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Cohort Profile: the National Prostate Cancer Register of Sweden and Prostate Cancer data Base Sweden 2.0.

Science.gov (United States)

Van Hemelrijck, Mieke; Wigertz, Annette; Sandin, Fredrik; Garmo, Hans; Hellström, Karin; Fransson, Per; Widmark, Anders; Lambe, Mats; Adolfsson, Jan; Varenhorst, Eberhard; Johansson, Jan-Erik; Stattin, Pär

2013-08-01

In 1987, the first Regional Prostate Cancer Register was set up in the South-East health-care region of Sweden. Other health-care regions joined and since 1998 virtually all prostate cancer (PCa) cases are registered in the National Prostate Cancer Register (NPCR) of Sweden to provide data for quality assurance, bench marking and clinical research. NPCR includes data on tumour stage, Gleason score, serum level of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and primary treatment. In 2008, the NPCR was linked to a number of other population-based registers by use of the personal identity number. This database named Prostate Cancer data Base Sweden (PCBaSe) has now been extended with more cases, longer follow-up and a selection of two control series of men free of PCa at the time of sampling, as well as information on brothers of men diagnosed with PCa, resulting in PCBaSe 2.0. This extension allows for studies with case-control, cohort or longitudinal case-only design on aetiological factors, pharmaceutical prescriptions and assessment of long-term outcomes. The NPCR covers >96% of all incident PCa cases registered by the Swedish Cancer Register, which has an underreporting of <3.7%. The NPCR is used to assess trends in incidence, treatment and outcome of men with PCa. Since the national registers linked to PCBaSe are complete, studies from PCBaSe 2.0 are truly population based.

The Impact of a Pathway College on Reputation and Brand Awareness for Its Affiliated University in Sydney

Science.gov (United States)

Brewer, Ann; Zhao, Jingsong

2010-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explore the effect that a prospective pathway college affiliated to a large comprehensive university in Sydney may have on the university's reputation. In particular, the association of reputation with preference for a pathway college, brand awareness and the opinion of college brand are examined.…

IL-22R Ligands IL-20, IL-22, and IL-24 Promote Wound Healing in Diabetic db/db Mice.

Science.gov (United States)

Kolumam, Ganesh; Wu, Xiumin; Lee, Wyne P; Hackney, Jason A; Zavala-Solorio, Jose; Gandham, Vineela; Danilenko, Dimitry M; Arora, Puneet; Wang, Xiaoting; Ouyang, Wenjun

2017-01-01

Diabetic foot ulcers (DFU) are one of the major complications in type II diabetes patients and can result in amputation and morbidity. Although multiple approaches are used clinically to help wound closure, many patients still lack adequate treatment. Here we show that IL-20 subfamily cytokines are upregulated during normal wound healing. While there is a redundant role for each individual cytokine in this subfamily in wound healing, mice deficient in IL-22R, the common receptor chain for IL-20, IL-22, and IL-24, display a significant delay in wound healing. Furthermore, IL-20, IL-22 and IL-24 are all able to promote wound healing in type II diabetic db/db mice. Mechanistically, when compared to other growth factors such as VEGF and PDGF that accelerate wound healing in this model, IL-22 uniquely induced genes involved in reepithelialization, tissue remodeling and innate host defense mechanisms from wounded skin. Interestingly, IL-22 treatment showed superior efficacy compared to PDGF or VEGF in an infectious diabetic wound model. Taken together, our data suggest that IL-20 subfamily cytokines, particularly IL-20, IL-22, and IL-24, might provide therapeutic benefit for patients with DFU.

Male breast cancer: 20-year survival data for post-mastectomy radiotherapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Eggemann, Holm; Ignatov, Atanas; Stabenow, Roland; von Minckwitz, Gunter; Röhl, Friedrich Wilhelm; Hass, Peter; Costa, Serban-Dan

2013-08-01

The goal of this population-based study was to determine the impact of post-mastectomy radiation therapy on long-term overall survival (OS) of male patients with breast cancer. We investigated 20-year OS rates of 664 patients diagnosed with primary stage I-III breast cancer in former East Germany between 1970 and 1989. Patients had a radical mastectomy with axillary lymph node dissection without systemic adjuvant therapy. Median follow-up time was 26.2 years (range 19-38 years). 52.4% of the patients had post-mastectomy radiotherapy. Radiotherapy showed different effects in each stage group after 20 years. Whereas there was an OS trend for radiotherapy to harm patients with stage I disease (hazard ratio (HR) 1.45; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.98-2.15; p = 0.065), radiotherapy showed no benefit in patients with stage II disease (HR 0.82; 95% CI 0.62-1.1; p = 0.15). There was a significant survival benefit for patients with stage III disease receiving radiotherapy (HR 0.60; 95% CI 0.41-0.88; p = 0.008). Post-mastectomy radiotherapy is associated with longer OS in male patients with stage III breast cancer. Male breast cancer patients at stages I and II do not seem to benefit from radiotherapy, but obsolete irradiation techniques might explain adverse long-term effects in earlier stages.

Gain of chromosomal region 20q and loss of 18 discriminates between Lynch syndrome and familial colorectal cancer

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Therkildsen, Christina; Jönsson, Göran; Dominguez-Valentin, Mev

2013-01-01

Lynch syndrome and familial colorectal cancer type X, FCCTX, represent the two predominant colorectal cancer syndromes. Whereas Lynch syndrome is clinically and genetically well defined, the genetic cause of FCCTX is unknown and genomic differences between Lynch syndrome and FCCTX tumours...... are largely unknown. We applied array-based comparative genomic hybridisation to 23 colorectal cancers from FCCTX with comparison to 23 Lynch syndrome tumours and to 45 sporadic colorectal cancers. FCCTX tumours showed genomic complexity with frequent gains on chromosomes 20q, 19 and 17 and losses of 18, 8p...... and 15. Gain of genetic material in two separate regions encompassing, 20q12-13.12 and 20q13.2-13.32, was identified in 65% of the FCCTX tumours. Gain of material on chromosome 20q and loss on chromosome 18 significantly discriminated colorectal cancers associated with FCCTX from Lynch syndrome, which...

The nature and source of irregular discharges to stormwater entering Sydney estuary, Australia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Beck, H.J.; Birch, G.F.

2014-01-01

Irregular discharges of polluted stormwater into drainage systems during base flow (no rainfall) result in acute ecological impacts within fluvial and estuarine environments. In this study, metal and TSS concentrations were significantly more variable during business hours of weekdays (i.e. high-business activity) than weekends/public holidays (i.e. low-business activity) within three highly-urbanised catchments of Sydney estuary (Australia), as determined by analysing multivariate dispersion (PERMDISP). Concentrations of TSS and all metals analysed (Al, Ca, Cu, Fe, Mg, Pb and Zn) were also significantly greater during high- than low-business periods within at least one of the three catchments. In no case were concentrations significantly higher during low- than high-business periods. This pattern of contamination supports the hypothesis that commercial and industrial sources are major contributors of irregular discharges of contamination to Sydney estuary. Irregular discharges and consequential ecological impacts may be effectively reduced in this environment by focussing management efforts on these activities. - Highlights: • Irregular discharges of pollution have acute impacts on aquatic ecosystems. • These discharges were thought to be made during low activity periods, such as night. • Pollution was more concentrated and erratic during high- than low-business periods. • Timing of pollution suggests commercial and industrial activities are major sources. • Discharges effectively reduced by managing commercial and industrial activities. - Previously unreported irregular, illegal discharges of polluted stormwater released to estuaries result in acute ecological impacts and are potentially related to commercial/industrial activities

Fine-scale mapping of 8q24 locus identifies multiple independent risk variants for breast cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Shi, Jiajun; Zhang, Yanfeng; Zheng, Wei; Michailidou, Kyriaki; Ghoussaini, Maya; Bolla, Manjeet K; Wang, Qin; Dennis, Joe; Lush, Michael; Milne, Roger L; Shu, Xiao-Ou; Beesley, Jonathan; Kar, Siddhartha; Andrulis, Irene L; Anton-Culver, Hoda; Arndt, Volker; Beckmann, Matthias W; Zhao, Zhiguo; Guo, Xingyi; Benitez, Javier; Beeghly-Fadiel, Alicia; Blot, William; Bogdanova, Natalia V; Bojesen, Stig E; Brauch, Hiltrud; Brenner, Hermann; Brinton, Louise; Broeks, Annegien; Brüning, Thomas; Burwinkel, Barbara; Cai, Hui; Canisius, Sander; Chang-Claude, Jenny; Choi, Ji-Yeob; Couch, Fergus J; Cox, Angela; Cross, Simon S; Czene, Kamila; Darabi, Hatef; Devilee, Peter; Droit, Arnaud; Dork, Thilo; Fasching, Peter A; Fletcher, Olivia; Flyger, Henrik; Fostira, Florentia; Gaborieau, Valerie; García-Closas, Montserrat; Giles, Graham G; Guenel, Pascal; Haiman, Christopher A; Hamann, Ute; Hartman, Mikael; Miao, Hui; Hollestelle, Antoinette; Hopper, John L; Hsiung, Chia-Ni; Ito, Hidemi; Jakubowska, Anna; Johnson, Nichola; Torres, Diana; Kabisch, Maria; Kang, Daehee; Khan, Sofia; Knight, Julia A; Kosma, Veli-Matti; Lambrechts, Diether; Li, Jingmei; Lindblom, Annika; Lophatananon, Artitaya; Lubinski, Jan; Mannermaa, Arto; Manoukian, Siranoush; Le Marchand, Loic; Margolin, Sara; Marme, Frederik; Matsuo, Keitaro; McLean, Catriona; Meindl, Alfons; Muir, Kenneth; Neuhausen, Susan L; Nevanlinna, Heli; Nord, Silje; Børresen-Dale, Anne-Lise; Olson, Janet E; Orr, Nick; van den Ouweland, Ans M W; Peterlongo, Paolo; Putti, Thomas Choudary; Rudolph, Anja; Sangrajrang, Suleeporn; Sawyer, Elinor J; Schmidt, Marjanka K; Schmutzler, Rita K; Shen, Chen-Yang; Hou, Ming-Feng; Shrubsole, Matha J; Southey, Melissa C; Swerdlow, Anthony; Teo, Soo Hwang; Thienpont, Bernard; Toland, Amanda E; Tollenaar, Robert A E M; Tomlinson, Ian; Truong, Therese; Tseng, Chiu-Chen; Wen, Wanqing; Winqvist, Robert; Wu, Anna H; Yip, Cheng Har; Zamora, Pilar M; Zheng, Ying; Floris, Giuseppe; Cheng, Ching-Yu; Hooning, Maartje J; Martens, John W M; Seynaeve, Caroline; Kristensen, Vessela N; Hall, Per; Pharoah, Paul D P; Simard, Jacques; Chenevix-Trench, Georgia; Dunning, Alison M; Antoniou, Antonis C; Easton, Douglas F; Cai, Qiuyin; Long, Jirong

2016-09-15

Previous genome-wide association studies among women of European ancestry identified two independent breast cancer susceptibility loci represented by single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) rs13281615 and rs11780156 at 8q24. A fine-mapping study across 2.06 Mb (chr8:127,561,724-129,624,067, hg19) in 55,540 breast cancer cases and 51,168 controls within the Breast Cancer Association Consortium was conducted. Three additional independent association signals in women of European ancestry, represented by rs35961416 (OR = 0.95, 95% CI = 0.93-0.97, conditional p = 5.8 × 10(-6) ), rs7815245 (OR = 0.94, 95% CI = 0.91-0.96, conditional p = 1.1 × 10(-6) ) and rs2033101 (OR = 1.05, 95% CI = 1.02-1.07, conditional p = 1.1 × 10(-4) ) were found. Integrative analysis using functional genomic data from the Roadmap Epigenomics, the Encyclopedia of DNA Elements project, the Cancer Genome Atlas and other public resources implied that SNPs rs7815245 in Signal 3, and rs1121948 in Signal 5 (in linkage disequilibrium with rs11780156, r(2)  = 0.77), were putatively functional variants for two of the five independent association signals. The results highlighted multiple 8q24 variants associated with breast cancer susceptibility in women of European ancestry. © 2016 UICC.

Iodine Intake and Thyroid Function in Pregnant Women in a Private Clinical Practice in Northwestern Sydney before Mandatory Fortification of Bread with Iodised Salt

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Norman Blumenthal

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Aim. The primary objective of the study was to assess the iodine nutritional status, and its effect on thyroid function, of pregnant women in a private obstetrical practice in Sydney. Methods. It was a cross-sectional study undertaken between November 2007 and March 2009. Blood samples were taken from 367 women at their first antenatal visit between 7 and 11 weeks gestation for measurement of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH and free thyroxine (FT4 levels and spot urine samples for urinary iodine excretion were taken at the same time as blood collection. Results. The median urinary iodine concentration (UIC for all women was 81 μg/l (interquartile range 41–169 μg/l. 71.9% of the women exhibited a UIC of <150 μg/l. 26% of the women had a UIC <50 μg/l, and 12% had a UIC <20 μg/l. The only detectable influences on UIC were daily milk intake and pregnancy supplements. There was no statistically significant association between UIC and thyroid function and no evidence for an effect of iodine intake on thyroid function. Conclusions. There is a high prevalence of mild to moderate iodine deficiency in women in Western Sydney but no evidence for a significant adverse effect on thyroid function. The 6.5% prevalence of subclinical hypothyroidism is unlikely to be due to iodine deficiency.

Complete Nucleotide Sequence Analysis of the Norovirus GII.4 Sydney Variant in South Korea

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ji-Sun Park

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Norovirus is the primary cause of acute gastroenteritis in individuals of all ages. In Australia, a new strain of norovirus (GII.4 was identified in March 2012, and this strain has spread rapidly around the world. In August 2012, this new GII.4 strain was identified in patients in South Korea. Therefore, to examine the characteristics of the epidemic norovirus GII.4 2012 variant in South Korea, we conducted KM272334 full-length genomic analysis. The genome of the gg-12-08-04 strain consisted of 7,558 bp and contained three open reading frame (ORF composites throughout the whole genome: ORF1 (5,100 bp, ORF2 (1,623 bp, and ORF3 (807 bp. Phylogenetic analyses showed that gg-12-08-04 belonged to the GII.4 Sydney 2012 variant, sharing 98.92% nucleotide similarity with this variant strain. According to SimPlot analysis, the gg-12-08-04 strain was a recombinant strain with breakpoint at the ORF1/2 junction between Osaka 2007 and Apeldoorn 2008 strains. This study is the first report of the complete sequence of the GII.4 Sydney 2012 strain in South Korea. Therefore, this may represent the standard sequence of the norovirus GII.4 2012 variant in South Korea and could therefore be useful for the development of norovirus vaccines.

20(S)-Protopanaxadiol (PPD) analogues chemosensitize multidrug-resistant cancer cells to clinical anticancer drugs.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Junhua; Wang, Xu; Liu, Peng; Deng, Rongxin; Lei, Min; Chen, Wantao; Hu, Lihong

2013-07-15

Novel 20(S)-protopanoxadiol (PPD) analogues were designed, synthesized, and evaluated for the chemosensitizing activity against a multidrug resistant (MDR) cell line (KBvcr) overexpressing P-glycoprotein (P-gp). Structure-activity relationship analysis showed that aromatic substituted aliphatic amine at the 24-positions (groups V) effectively and significantly sensitized P-gp overexpressing multidrug resistant (MDR) cells to anticancer drugs, such as docetaxel (DOC), vincristine (VCR), and adriamycin (ADM). PPD derivatives 12 and 18 showed 1.3-2.6 times more effective reversal ability than verapamil (VER) for DOC and VCR. Importantly, no cytotoxicity was observed by the active PPD analogues (5μM) against both non-MDR and MDR cells, suggesting that PPD analogues serve as novel lead compounds toward a potent and safe resistance modulator. Moreover, a preliminary mechanism study demonstrated that the chemosensitizing activity of PPD analogues results from inhibition of P-glycoprotein (P-gp) overexpressed in MDR cancer cells. Copyright © 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Onco-miR-24 regulates cell growth and apoptosis by targeting BCL2L11 in gastric cancer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Haiyang Zhang

2016-01-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Gastric cancer is one of the most common malignancies worldwide; however, the molecular mechanism in tumorigenesis still needs exploration. BCL2L11 belongs to the BCL-2 family, and acts as a central regulator of the intrinsic apoptotic cascade and mediates cell apoptosis. Although miRNAs have been reported to be involved in each stage of cancer development, the role of miR-24 in GC has not been reported yet. In the present study, miR-24 was found to be up-regulated while the expression of BCL2L11 was inhibited in tumor tissues of GC. Studies from both in vitro and in vivo shown that miR-24 regulates BCL2L11 expression by directly binding with 3′UTR of mRNA, thus promoting cell growth, migration while inhibiting cell apoptosis. Therefore, miR-24 is a novel onco-miRNA that can be potential drug targets for future clinical use.

6th world congress of Nuclear Medicine and Biology, October 23-28, 1994, Sydney, Australia. Abstracts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1994-01-01

The supplement presents 962 abstracts of papers or posters presented at the 6th World Congress of Nuclear Medicine and Biology, held from 23-28 October 1994 in Sydney, Australia. The key subjects of the conference are diagnostic nuclear medicine, with emphasis on scintiscanning, SPET and PET in all fields of medicine. There is an alphabetical author index to facilitate retrieval of individual papers [de

Representations of cycling in metropolitan newspapers - changes over time and differences between Sydney and Melbourne, Australia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Emilsen Adrian

2010-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Cycling is important for health, transport, environmental and economic reasons. Newspaper reporting of cycling reflects and can influence public and policy maker attitudes towards resource allocation for cycling and cycling infrastructure, yet such coverage has not been systematically examined. Methods The Factiva electronic news archive was searched for articles referring to cycling published in four major metropolitan newspapers - two in Sydney and two in Melbourne, Australia, in the years from 1998 until 2008. After excluding articles not about cycling, there were 61 articles published in 1998, 45 in 1999, 51 in 2003, 82 in 2007 and 87 in 2008. Each article was coded for positive or negative orientation, and for framing of cyclists and cycling. Inter-rater reliability was calculated on a sample of 30 articles. Results Over the past decade there has been an increase in the reporting of cycling in the major newspapers in Sydney and Melbourne (from 106 in 1998/99 to 169 stories in 2007/08, with a significant increase in reporting of cycling in Melbourne, from 49 to 103 stories (p = 0.04. Recent reporting of cycling was generally positive (47% of articles, compared with 30% of articles which were negative and focused on benefits such as health and the environment. Three quarters of negative stories involved injury or death of a cyclist. The Sydney based The Daily Telegraph reported the most negative stories (n = 60. We found positive framing of 'cycling' was more widespread than negative, whereas framing of 'cyclists' was more negative than positive. Conclusions Quantity of reporting of cycling varies over time and by newspaper, and even between newspapers in different cities owned by the same media company. News coverage appears to reflect developments in the different cities, with increases in positive reporting of cycling in Melbourne following increases in cycling in that city. Negative cycling newspaper stories may deter

Therapeutic Applications of Interleukin 24 (IL24): A Review ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

IL24 has growth suppressive properties in a wide variety of human cancer cell lines without inducing harmful effects in normal cells. This review is focused on the role of IL 24 on tumor cell biology and its potential therapeutic applications. Keywords: Melanoma differentiation, Protein, Therapeutics, Interleukin, ...

Enhanced surveillance of a lymphogranuloma venereum outbreak in Sydney 2010-2012.

Science.gov (United States)

Templeton, David J; Ressler, Kelly-Anne; Hope, Kirsty; Poynten, Isobel M

2016-08-01

To investigate an increase in lymphogranuloma venereum (LGV) notifications in New South Wales (NSW). Enhanced surveillance of notified LGV cases in NSW between May 2010 and April 2012 using doctor and patient questionnaires. Thirty-seven doctors who had diagnosed 67 (76%) of 88 notified anorectal LGV infections were interviewed. The majority (n=33, 89%) of treating doctors were formally trained and accredited in HIV management and prescribing, and most (n=32, 86%) worked in a public sexual health clinic or a general practice with a high caseload of men who have sex with men (MSM). All 67 cases were MSM who resided in inner-city Sydney and all were serovar L2b. Anal symptoms had been present in 64 cases (96%, 95%CI 87-99%) for a median of 8 days (range 2-1,825) prior to presentation. Almost one-third (n=20) had another concurrent STI diagnosed. Most (82%) of the 22 interviewed patients reported being HIV positive and having other STIs diagnosed over the past year. In the preceding month, all 22 men reported condomless anal sex and the median number of casual sexual partners was 5 (range 0-100). Characteristics of LGV cases in NSW are similar to those described worldwide, suggesting that a sexually adventurous subgroup of MSM are at particular risk of infection. Education of non-sexual-health clinicians on LGV risk factors, presentation, testing and management may allow more timely diagnosis and notification of contacts to reduce LGV transmission in the community. © 2016 Public Health Association of Australia.

Summary of Synoptic Meteorological Observations (SSMO). Australian Coastal Marine Areas. Volume 1. Area 1 - Princess Charlotte Bay. Area 2 - Cairns. Area 3 - Cumberland Islands. Area 4 - Rockhampton. Area 5 - Brisbane. Area 6 - Coffs Harbour. Area 7 - Sydney. Area 8 - Cape Howe NE

Science.gov (United States)

1977-09-01

Weather Service Detachment Asheville, N. C. 8. CONTRACT OR GRANT NUMBERf«) 9. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME AND ADDRESS National Climatic Center...Australian East Coast, Princess Charlotte Bay, Cairns, Cumberland Islands, Rockhampton, Brisbane, Coffs Harbour, Sydney and Cape Howe NE. ^ 20...OVER-ALL) 1»S«-1973 AREA 0006 COFFS HARBOUR 30.3S 193.36 fERCENT FR60UENCY OF MSATHER OCCURRENCE BY NINO OIRECTION

Breast Cancer After Chest Radiation Therapy for Childhood Cancer

Science.gov (United States)

Moskowitz, Chaya S.; Chou, Joanne F.; Wolden, Suzanne L.; Bernstein, Jonine L.; Malhotra, Jyoti; Friedman, Danielle Novetsky; Mubdi, Nidha Z.; Leisenring, Wendy M.; Stovall, Marilyn; Hammond, Sue; Smith, Susan A.; Henderson, Tara O.; Boice, John D.; Hudson, Melissa M.; Diller, Lisa R.; Bhatia, Smita; Kenney, Lisa B.; Neglia, Joseph P.; Begg, Colin B.; Robison, Leslie L.; Oeffinger, Kevin C.

2014-01-01

Purpose The risk of breast cancer is high in women treated for a childhood cancer with chest irradiation. We sought to examine variations in risk resulting from irradiation field and radiation dose. Patients and Methods We evaluated cumulative breast cancer risk in 1,230 female childhood cancer survivors treated with chest irradiation who were participants in the CCSS (Childhood Cancer Survivor Study). Results Childhood cancer survivors treated with lower delivered doses of radiation (median, 14 Gy; range, 2 to 20 Gy) to a large volume (whole-lung field) had a high risk of breast cancer (standardized incidence ratio [SIR], 43.6; 95% CI, 27.2 to 70.3), as did survivors treated with high doses of delivered radiation (median, 40 Gy) to the mantle field (SIR, 24.2; 95% CI, 20.7 to 28.3). The cumulative incidence of breast cancer by age 50 years was 30% (95% CI, 25 to 34), with a 35% incidence among Hodgkin lymphoma survivors (95% CI, 29 to 40). Breast cancer–specific mortality at 5 and 10 years was 12% (95% CI, 8 to 18) and 19% (95% CI, 13 to 25), respectively. Conclusion Among women treated for childhood cancer with chest radiation therapy, those treated with whole-lung irradiation have a greater risk of breast cancer than previously recognized, demonstrating the importance of radiation volume. Importantly, mortality associated with breast cancer after childhood cancer is substantial. PMID:24752044

Extreme inflow events and synoptic forcing in Sydney catchments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pepler, Acacia S; Rakich, Clinton S

2010-01-01

The Sydney catchment region encompasses over 16,000km 2 , supplying water to over 4 million inhabitants. However, few studies have investigated the synoptic and climatic influences on inflow in this region, which are crucial for understanding the vulnerability of water supply in a changing climate. This study identifies extremely high and low inflow events between 1960 and 2008 based on catchment averages. The focus of the study is an analysis of the synoptic cause/s of each extreme inflow event. The events are evaluated to identify any trends and also to determine the concurrent significant climatic influences on rainfall over the catchments. Relationships between catchment inflow, rainfall, tropical SST indices, and other influencing factors such as observed wind and temperatures are investigated. Our results show that East Coast Lows and anomalously easterly flow are the drivers of high inflow events, with low inflow events dominated by westerly wind patterns and the El Nino-Southern Oscillation.

Water-saving impacts of Smart Meter technology: An empirical 5 year, whole-of-community study in Sydney, Australia

Science.gov (United States)

Davies, Kirsten; Doolan, Corinna; van den Honert, Robin; Shi, Rose

2014-09-01

In 2009-2010 Sydney Water, the primary water utility in Sydney, conducted a comprehensive Smart Metering trial in residential homes in the suburb of Westleigh, in Sydney's north. The trial involved 1923 participants residing in 630 households. A whole-of-community method of engagement was applied to capture the views of residents from 12 to 70+ years of age. The trial examined the effects of the technology on the water consumption of an intervention group compared with that of a matched control group. After removing properties that had been sold since the beginning of the trial, properties in the study group were matched with a control group property on the basis of the household size, property size and the presence (or otherwise) of a swimming pool. The effects of the technology on consumption were measured and analyzed for the period July 2009 to June 2010, coupled with qualitative information that was collected throughout the duration of the study. A key finding was that households with the in-home display (IHD) installed, reduced their consumption by an average of over 6.8% over the study period when compared to the control group. Since completion of the study the community has not had any further interventions. The trial created an opportunity to examine the longer-term effects of the technology (June 2008 to September 2013). Consumption data collected over the 3 year posttrial period revealed that the participant group consumed 6.4% per month less water when compared to the pretrial period, whilst the matched control group consumed 1.3% per month more water when compared to the pretrial period. The reduced consumption of the participant group was maintained over time, demonstrating the long-term value of this technology.

Operational experience and recent developments at the National Medical Cyclotron, Sydney

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Conard, E.M.; Arnott, D.W.

1996-01-01

The National Medical Cyclotron, Sydney, Australia commenced operation in mid 1991, with a mission to provide PET and SPECT radionuclides throughout Australia. The realization of the present production capacity has been synonymous with the development of the facility's industrial cyclotron (IBA Cyclone 30). The choice of cyclotron was based on the Cyclone 30's virtues as a compact, user-friendly, energy efficient cyclotron, offering the beam quality characteristic of negative ion technology. Development of the cyclotron has improved reliability and increased beam capacity, while improvements to targetry have increased production reliability. More recently, the installation and commissioning of a new solid target irradiation facility has provided much needed redundancy. This paper describes the major cyclotron and targetry developments carried out to date. (orig.)

Prevalence of enamel defects and MIH in non-fluoridated and fluoridated communities.

Science.gov (United States)

Balmer, R C; Laskey, D; Mahoney, E; Toumba, K J

2005-12-01

This was to study the prevalence of enamel defects and molar incisor hypomineralisation (MIH) in children attending Leeds Dental Institute (UK) and Westmead Dental Hospital, Sydney (Australia). Prospective dental examinations were carried out on 25 children referred to two orthodontic departments. A questionnaire was completed to obtain background information and about previous fluoride (F) exposure followed by an oral examination. First permanent molars and permanent incisors were examined for presence, type and severity of enamel defects using the modified DDE screening index. Chi square tests were used to compare results. Data for 24 children in Sydney and 20 in Leeds presented with at least one enamel defect. Of 300 teeth examined, 155 in Sydney and 82 in Leeds had a defect (p MIH was the same supporting the view that F is not associated with the aetiology of MIH.

Fibroblast growth factor receptor 1 and cytokeratin 20 expressions and their relation to prognostic variables in bladder cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Abdul-Maksoud, Rehab S; Shalaby, Sally M; Elsayed, Walid S H; Elkady, Saad

2016-10-15

Tumor grade and stage are currently the most important prognostic variables in bladder cancer but establishing additional criteria is still needed for effective treatment. The aim of the study was to assess the expression of fibroblast growth factor receptor 1 (FGFR1) and cytokeratin 20 (CK20) in cancer bladder (CB) and to evaluate their association with the clinicopathological features of the disease. The study included 80 patients diagnosed as bladder cancer of different stages and grades and 80 patients with nonmalignant urothelial diseases of matched age and sex to the malignant group. The expressions of FGFR1 and CK20 in tissue samples were determined by RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry. The expression levels of FGFR1 and CK20 were increased in the malignant group when compared to the control group (Pbladder cancer reached 97.5% and 92.5%, respectively. Our results determined overexpression of both FGFR1 and CK20 in CB specimens. The alterations in the expression of FGFR1 and CK20 were associated with disease stage and grade. Lastly, combined detection of FGFR1 and CK20 had a high predictive prognostic value in differentiating invasive from non-invasive carcinoma. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Identification of CD24 as a cancer stem cell marker in human nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chun-Hung Yang

Full Text Available Cancer stem cells (CSCs represent a unique sub-population of tumor cells with the ability to initiate tumor growth and sustain self-renewal. Although CSC biomarkers have been described for various tumors, only a few markers have been identified for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC. In this study, we show that CD24+ cells isolated from human NPC cell lines express stem cell genes (Sox2, Oct4, Nanog, Bmi-1, and Rex-1, and show activation of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. CD24+ cells possess typical CSC characteristics that include enhanced cell proliferation, increased colony and sphere formation, maintenance of cell differentiation potential in prolonged culture, and enhanced resistance to chemotherapeutic drugs. Notably, CD24+ cells produce tumors following inoculation of as few as 500 cells in immunodeficient NOD/SCID mice. CD24+ cells further show increased invasion ability in vitro, which correlates with enhanced expression of matrix metalloproteinase 2 and 9. In summary, our results suggest that CD24 represents a novel CSC biomarker in NPC.

Fasting proinsulin levels are significantly associated with 20 year cancer mortality rates. The Hoorn Study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Walraven, I.; van 't Riet, E.; Stehouwer, C.D.A.; Polak, B.C.P.; Moll, A.C.; Dekker, J.M.; Nijpels, G.

2013-01-01

Aims/hypothesis: Proinsulin is possibly associated with cancer through activation of insulin receptor isoform A. We sought to investigate the associations between proinsulin and 20 year cancer mortality rates. Methods: The study was performed within the Hoorn Study, a population-based study of

Properties of 20Na, 24Al, 28P, 32Cl, and 36K for studies of explosive hydrogen burning

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wrede, C.; Clark, J. A.; Deibel, C. M.; Faestermann, T.; Parikh, A.; Bishop, S.; Eppinger, K.; Kruecken, R.; Lepyoshkina, O.; Rugel, G.; Hertenberger, R.; Wirth, H.-F.; Chen, A. A.; Freeman, B. M.; Setoodehnia, K.

2010-01-01

The radiative proton-capture reactions 19 Ne(p,γ) 20 Na, 23 Mg(p,γ) 24 Al, 27 Si(p,γ) 28 P, 31 S(p,γ) 32 Cl, and 35 Ar(p,γ) 36 K potentially influence energy generation and/or nucleosynthesis during explosive hydrogen burning in classical novae and/or type I x-ray bursts. The thermonuclear rates of these reactions are dependent on resonance energies E r =E x -Q and strengths ωγ. The 20 Ne( 3 He,t) 20 Na, 24 Mg( 3 He,t) 24 Al, 28 Si( 3 He,t) 28 P, 32 S( 3 He,t) 32 Cl, and 36 Ar( 3 He,t) 36 K reactions have been measured using a 32-MeV, 3 He 2+ beam; ion-implanted carbon-foil targets developed at the University of Washington; and the Munich Q3D magnetic spectrograph. This experiment has already yielded precision mass measurements of 20 Na, 24 Al, 28 P, and 32 Cl [C. Wrede et al., Phys. Rev. C 81, 055503 (2010)], which are used presently to constrain the corresponding (p,γ) reaction Q values. The new 24 Al and 28 P masses resolve a discrepancy in the energy of the lowest-energy resonance in the 23 Mg(p,γ) 24 Al reaction and better constrain a direct measurement of its strength. Excitation energies in 32 Cl and 36 K have also been measured. An important new proton-unbound level has been found at E x =2196.9(7) keV in 36 K and the uncertainties in 36 K excitation energies have been reduced by over an order of magnitude. Using the new data on 36 K, the A=36, T=1 triplets have been reassigned. The thermonuclear 35 Ar(p,γ) 36 K reaction rate is found to be much higher than a commonly adopted rate and this could affect energy generation in type I x-ray bursts.

Back-analysing rock mass modulus from monitoring data of two tunnels in Sydney, Australia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Robert Bertuzzi

2017-10-01

Full Text Available This paper presents two case studies where the rock mass modulus and in situ stress are estimated from the monitoring data obtained during the construction of underground excavations in Sydney, Australia. The case studies comprise the widening of existing twin road tunnels within Hawkesbury sandstone and the excavation of a large cavern within Ashfield shale. While back-analysis from detailed systematic monitoring has been previously published, this paper presents a relatively simple methodology to derive rock mass modulus and in situ stress from the relatively simple displacement data routinely recorded during tunnelling.

Regional osteoporosis in western Sydney women

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Larcos, G.; Lawson-Smith, R.

1998-01-01

Full text: Recently, 15% of elderly Japanese-American women have been shown to have marked heterogeneity of bone mineral density (BMD) between measured sites. The purposes of this study were to determine (1 ) the prevalence of this finding in an Australian population; and (2) potential association with clinical factors such as age, years since menopause (YSM), alcohol, smoking, family history, exercise, and body mass index. One hundred and fourteen peri-or post- menopausal Caucasian women (mean age 55 + 8.8 years) were referred for osteoporotic (OP) fracture risk assessment. Patients (pts) had no disorders or drugs known to affect BMD and no evidence of scoliosis or arthritic change. Bone densitometry of the lumbar spine (PA), hip and distal radius were measured using a Norland XR-26. According to WHO criteria, 30 pts (26%) were normal (T score > -1) at all sites; no pts (0%) had generalised OP (T score < -2.5); 29 (25%) had OP in one or two sites only (hip = 25, spine = 13, wrist = 1); the remaining 55 pts (48%) were osteogenic (-2.5 < T score < -1) in at least one site. Using multivariate logistic regression analysis, only YSM predicted regional OP (odds ratio = 1.14; p< O.001) Thus, clinically important heterogeneity of BMD occurs in about 25% of Western Sydney women; of clinical factors only YSM is independently associated with regional OP. Fracture risk classification may be improved by BMD measurement of multiple sites

Regional osteoporosis in western Sydney women

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Larcos, G.; Lawson-Smith, R. [Westmead Hospital, Westmead, NSW (Australia). Department of Nuclear Medicine and Ultrasound

1998-03-01

Full text: Recently, 15% of elderly Japanese-American women have been shown to have marked heterogeneity of bone mineral density (BMD) between measured sites. The purposes of this study were to determine (1 ) the prevalence of this finding in an Australian population; and (2) potential association with clinical factors such as age, years since menopause (YSM), alcohol, smoking, family history, exercise, and body mass index. One hundred and fourteen peri-or post- menopausal Caucasian women (mean age 55 + 8.8 years) were referred for osteoporotic (OP) fracture risk assessment. Patients (pts) had no disorders or drugs known to affect BMD and no evidence of scoliosis or arthritic change. Bone densitometry of the lumbar spine (PA), hip and distal radius were measured using a Norland XR-26. According to WHO criteria, 30 pts (26%) were normal (T score > -1) at all sites; no pts (0%) had generalised OP (T score < -2.5); 29 (25%) had OP in one or two sites only (hip = 25, spine = 13, wrist = 1); the remaining 55 pts (48%) were osteogenic (-2.5 < T score < -1) in at least one site. Using multivariate logistic regression analysis, only YSM predicted regional OP (odds ratio = 1.14; pSydney women; of clinical factors only YSM is independently associated with regional OP. Fracture risk classification may be improved by BMD measurement of multiple sites.

Meet playwright Hassan Abdulrazzak | 24 February

CERN Multimedia

CERN Library

2014-01-01

Hassan Abdulrazzak won the Arab British Centre Award for Culture 2013.   Hassan Abdulrazzak is of Iraqi origin, born in Prague and living in London. Hassan’s first play Baghdad Wedding, was staged at Soho Theatre (London) in 2007 and Belvoir St Theatre (Sydney) in 2009. It was also broadcast on BBC radio 3 (2008). Hassan was awarded the 2008 George Devine and Meyer-Whitworth awards and the 2009 Pearson award. He was also awarded the Sara Sugarman bursary, which financed a year long attachment at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts (RADA) under the tutelage of Lloyd Trott (RADA’s dramaturg). Hassan’s latest play The Prophet played at The Gate Theatre, London in the summer of 2012, directed by Christopher Haydon and based on extensive interviews in Cairo with revolutionaries and soldiers, journalists and cab drivers. Hassan Abdulrazzak at the CERN Library on Monday 24 February at 5 p.m. Coffee will be served at 4.30 p.m.

Fine-scale mapping of 8q24 locus identifies multiple independent risk variants for breast cancer

NARCIS (Netherlands)

J. Shi (Jiajun); Zhang, Y. (Yanfeng); W. Zheng (Wei); K. Michailidou (Kyriaki); M. Ghoussaini (Maya); M.K. Bolla (Manjeet K.); Wang, Q. (Qin); J. Dennis (Joe); Lush, M. (Michael); R.L. Milne (Roger); X.-O. Shu (Xiao-Ou); J. Beesley (Jonathan); S. Kar (Siddhartha); I.L. Andrulis (Irene); H. Anton-Culver (Hoda); Arndt, V. (Volker); M.W. Beckmann (Matthias); Z. Zhao (Zhiguo); Guo, X. (Xingyi); J. Benítez (Javier); A. Beeghly-Fadiel (Alicia); W.J. Blot (William); N.V. Bogdanova (Natalia); S.E. Bojesen (Stig); H. Brauch (Hiltrud); H. Brenner (Hermann); L.A. Brinton (Louise); A. Broeks (Annegien); T. Brüning (Thomas); B. Burwinkel (Barbara); H. Cai (Hui); S. Canisius (Sander); J. Chang-Claude (Jenny); Choi, J.-Y. (Ji-Yeob); F.J. Couch (Fergus); A. Cox (Angela); S.S. Cross (Simon); K. Czene (Kamila); H. Darabi (Hatef); P. Devilee (Peter); A. Droit (Arnaud); T. Dörk (Thilo); P.A. Fasching (Peter); O. Fletcher (Olivia); H. Flyger (Henrik); F. Fostira (Florentia); Gaborieau, V. (Valerie); M. García-Closas (Montserrat); G.G. Giles (Graham); Grip, M. (Mervi); P. Guénel (Pascal); C.A. Haiman (Christopher A.); U. Hamann (Ute); J.M. Hartman (Joost); X. Miao; A. Hollestelle (Antoinette); J.L. Hopper (John); Hsiung, C.-N. (Chia-Ni); H. Ito (Hidemi); A. Jakubowska (Anna); Johnson, N. (Nichola); D. Torres (Diana); M. Kabisch (Maria); D. Kang (Daehee); S. Khan (Sofia); J.A. Knight (Julia); V-M. Kosma (Veli-Matti); Lambrechts, D. (Diether); J. Li (Jingmei); A. Lindblom (Annika); A. Lophatananon (Artitaya); J. Lubinski (Jan); A. Mannermaa (Arto); S. Manoukian (Siranoush); L. Le Marchand (Loic); S. Margolin (Sara); Marme, F. (Frederik); K. Matsuo (Keitaro); C.A. McLean (Catriona Ann); A. Meindl (Alfons); K.R. Muir (K.); S.L. Neuhausen (Susan); H. Nevanlinna (Heli); S. Nord (Silje); A.-L. Borresen-Dale (Anne-Lise); J.E. Olson (Janet); N. Orr (Nick); A.M.W. van den Ouweland (Ans); P. Peterlongo (Paolo); T.C. Putti (Thomas Choudary); Rudolph, A. (Anja); Sangrajrang, S. (Suleeporn); E.J. Sawyer (Elinor); M.K. Schmidt (Marjanka); R.K. Schmutzler (Rita); C.-Y. Shen (Chen-Yang); M.-F. Hou (Ming-Feng); M. Shrubsole (Martha); M.C. Southey (Melissa); A.J. Swerdlow (Anthony ); Hwang Teo, S. (Soo); B. Thienpont (Bernard); A.E. Toland (Amanda); R.A.E.M. Tollenaar (Rob); I.P. Tomlinson (Ian); T. Truong (Thérèse); C.-C. Tseng (Chiu-Chen); W. Wen (Wanqing); R. Winqvist (Robert); A.H. Wu (Anna); C. Har Yip (Cheng); P.M. Zamora (Pilar M.); Zheng, Y. (Ying); O.A.M. Floris; Cheng, C.-Y. (Ching-Yu); M.J. Hooning (Maartje); J.W.M. Martens (John); C.M. Seynaeve (Caroline); V. Kristensen (Vessela); P. Hall (Per); P.D.P. Pharoah (Paul); J. Simard (Jacques); G. Chenevix-Trench (Georgia); A.M. Dunning (Alison); A.C. Antoniou (Antonis C.); D.F. Easton (Douglas F.); Q. Cai (Qiuyin); J. Long (Jirong)

2016-01-01

textabstractPrevious genome-wide association studies among women of European ancestry identified two independent breast cancer susceptibility loci represented by single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) rs13281615 and rs11780156 at 8q24. A fine-mapping study across 2.06 Mb

Qualitative and quantitative expression status of the human chromosome 20 genes in cancer tissues and the representative cell lines.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Quanhui; Wen, Bo; Yan, Guangrong; Wei, Junying; Xie, Liqi; Xu, Shaohang; Jiang, Dahai; Wang, Tingyou; Lin, Liang; Zi, Jin; Zhang, Ju; Zhou, Ruo; Zhao, Haiyi; Ren, Zhe; Qu, Nengrong; Lou, Xiaomin; Sun, Haidan; Du, Chaoqin; Chen, Chuangbin; Zhang, Shenyan; Tan, Fengji; Xian, Youqi; Gao, Zhibo; He, Minghui; Chen, Longyun; Zhao, Xiaohang; Xu, Ping; Zhu, Yunping; Yin, Xingfeng; Shen, Huali; Zhang, Yang; Jiang, Jing; Zhang, Chengpu; Li, Liwei; Chang, Cheng; Ma, Jie; Yan, Guoquan; Yao, Jun; Lu, Haojie; Ying, Wantao; Zhong, Fan; He, Qing-Yu; Liu, Siqi

2013-01-04

Under the guidance of the Chromosome-centric Human Proteome Project (C-HPP), (1, 2) we conducted a systematic survey of the expression status of genes located at human chromosome 20 (Chr.20) in three cancer tissues, gastric, colon, and liver carcinoma, and their representative cell lines. We have globally profiled proteomes in these samples with combined technology of LC-MS/MS and acquired the corresponding mRNA information upon RNA-seq and RNAchip. In total, 323 unique proteins were identified, covering 60% of the coding genes (323/547) in Chr.20. With regards to qualitative information of proteomics, we overall evaluated the correlation of the identified Chr.20 proteins with target genes of transcription factors or of microRNA, conserved genes and cancer-related genes. As for quantitative information, the expression abundances of Chr.20 genes were found to be almost consistent in both tissues and cell lines of mRNA in all individual chromosome regions, whereas those of Chr.20 proteins in cells are different from tissues, especially in the region of 20q13.33. Furthermore, the abundances of Chr.20 proteins were hierarchically evaluated according to tissue- or cancer-related distribution. The analysis revealed several cancer-related proteins in Chr.20 are tissue- or cell-type dependent. With integration of all the acquired data, for the first time we established a solid database of the Chr.20 proteome.

Fine-scale mapping of the 4q24 locus identifies two independent loci associated with breast cancer risk.

Science.gov (United States)

Guo, Xingyi; Long, Jirong; Zeng, Chenjie; Michailidou, Kyriaki; Ghoussaini, Maya; Bolla, Manjeet K; Wang, Qin; Milne, Roger L; Shu, Xiao-Ou; Cai, Qiuyin; Beesley, Jonathan; Kar, Siddhartha P; Andrulis, Irene L; Anton-Culver, Hoda; Arndt, Volker; Beckmann, Matthias W; Beeghly-Fadiel, Alicia; Benitez, Javier; Blot, William; Bogdanova, Natalia; Bojesen, Stig E; Brauch, Hiltrud; Brenner, Hermann; Brinton, Louise; Broeks, Annegien; Brüning, Thomas; Burwinkel, Barbara; Cai, Hui; Canisius, Sander; Chang-Claude, Jenny; Choi, Ji-Yeob; Couch, Fergus J; Cox, Angela; Cross, Simon S; Czene, Kamila; Darabi, Hatef; Devilee, Peter; Droit, Arnaud; Dörk, Thilo; Fasching, Peter A; Fletcher, Olivia; Flyger, Henrik; Fostira, Florentia; Gaborieau, Valerie; García-Closas, Montserrat; Giles, Graham G; Grip, Mervi; Guénel, Pascal; Haiman, Christopher A; Hamann, Ute; Hartman, Mikael; Hollestelle, Antoinette; Hopper, John L; Hsiung, Chia-Ni; Ito, Hidemi; Jakubowska, Anna; Johnson, Nichola; Kabisch, Maria; Kang, Daehee; Khan, Sofia; Knight, Julia A; Kosma, Veli-Matti; Lambrechts, Diether; Le Marchand, Loic; Li, Jingmei; Lindblom, Annika; Lophatananon, Artitaya; Lubinski, Jan; Mannermaa, Arto; Manoukian, Siranoush; Margolin, Sara; Marme, Frederik; Matsuo, Keitaro; McLean, Catriona A; Meindl, Alfons; Muir, Kenneth; Neuhausen, Susan L; Nevanlinna, Heli; Nord, Silje; Olson, Janet E; Orr, Nick; Peterlongo, Paolo; Putti, Thomas Choudary; Rudolph, Anja; Sangrajrang, Suleeporn; Sawyer, Elinor J; Schmidt, Marjanka K; Schmutzler, Rita K; Shen, Chen-Yang; Shi, Jiajun; Shrubsole, Martha J; Southey, Melissa C; Swerdlow, Anthony; Teo, Soo Hwang; Thienpont, Bernard; Toland, Amanda Ewart; Tollenaar, Robert A E M; Tomlinson, Ian P M; Truong, Thérèse; Tseng, Chiu-Chen; van den Ouweland, Ans; Wen, Wanqing; Winqvist, Robert; Wu, Anna; Yip, Cheng Har; Zamora, M Pilar; Zheng, Ying; Hall, Per; Pharoah, Paul D P; Simard, Jacques; Chenevix-Trench, Georgia; Dunning, Alison M; Easton, Douglas F; Zheng, Wei

2015-11-01

A recent association study identified a common variant (rs9790517) at 4q24 to be associated with breast cancer risk. Independent association signals and potential functional variants in this locus have not been explored. We conducted a fine-mapping analysis in 55,540 breast cancer cases and 51,168 controls from the Breast Cancer Association Consortium. Conditional analyses identified two independent association signals among women of European ancestry, represented by rs9790517 [conditional P = 2.51 × 10(-4); OR, 1.04; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.02-1.07] and rs77928427 (P = 1.86 × 10(-4); OR, 1.04; 95% CI, 1.02-1.07). Functional annotation using data from the Encyclopedia of DNA Elements (ENCODE) project revealed two putative functional variants, rs62331150 and rs73838678 in linkage disequilibrium (LD) with rs9790517 (r(2) ≥ 0.90) residing in the active promoter or enhancer, respectively, of the nearest gene, TET2. Both variants are located in DNase I hypersensitivity and transcription factor-binding sites. Using data from both The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Molecular Taxonomy of Breast Cancer International Consortium (METABRIC), we showed that rs62331150 was associated with level of expression of TET2 in breast normal and tumor tissue. Our study identified two independent association signals at 4q24 in relation to breast cancer risk and suggested that observed association in this locus may be mediated through the regulation of TET2. Fine-mapping study with large sample size warranted for identification of independent loci for breast cancer risk. ©2015 American Association for Cancer Research.

Overcoming the pitfalls of abandoned mine workings in the Sydney coalfield

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Forrester, D.; Noble, B. [AECOM, Sydney, NS (Canada)

2010-07-01

Previous coal mining activities in Sydney, Nova Scotia (NS) have included the creation of shallow, unrecorded underground coal extraction sites known as bootleg pits. The sites are a public safety hazard and can also impact groundwater flow. This paper presented an outline of the remediation strategies used to mitigate the hazards associated with the bootleg pits as part of a mine site closure and reclamation program currently being completed by the Cape Breton Corporation (ECBC). The strategies included the use of sinkhole subsidence hazard maps. Long-term visual monitoring is also being used in areas associated with sinkhole development. Larger abandoned areas have been cleared, backfilled and re-graded while including provisions for the ongoing drainage of mine waters. Gas monitoring and safety procedures were also reviewed. 2 refs., 4 figs.

Radiation Treatment of Esophageal Cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oh, W. Y.; Suh, C. O.; Kim, G. E.

1985-01-01

63 patients who were irradiated with a goal of long term control among 101 patients with esophageal cancer seen during an 11 years period between Jan, 1970 and Dec, 1980 at Yonsei Cancer Center in Seoul, Korea have retrospectively analysed. 52(82.5%) among the 63 patients were confirmed to have epidermoid carcinoma in the histology. The actuarial 3 and 5 years survival rates of 17 cased of T1, esophageal cancer were 24.7% and 20.8%. Statistically, there was no significant difference in survival rate according to tumor location (p>0.05)

20 CFR 355.24 - Protective order.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... REGULATIONS UNDER THE PROGRAM FRAUD CIVIL REMEDIES ACT OF 1986 § 355.24 Protective order. (a) A party or a prospective witness or deponent may file a motion for a protective order with respect to discovery sought by... more of the following: (1) That the discovery not be had; (2) That the discovery may be had only on...

Development of local knowledge of environmental contamination in Sydney, Nova Scotia: Environmental health practice from an environmental justice perspective

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lambert, Timothy W. [Department of Community Health Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta (Canada); Guyn, Lindsay [Department of Information and Evaluation Unit, Mental Health and Psychiatric Services, Calgary Health Region (Canada); Lane, Stephanie E.

2006-09-15

In Sydney, Nova Scotia, from 1901 through 1988 a coke and steel factory operated with no pollution controls, depositing over a million tons of particulate matter and releasing several thousands of tons of coal tar into the estuary. Previously we documented the presence of lead, arsenic and PAHs, in soil above Canadian guidelines, and in house dust in the communities surrounding the site [Lambert, TW, Lane, S. Lead, arsenic, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in soil and house dust in the communities surrounding the Sydney, Nova Scotia, tar ponds. Environ Health Perspect 2004; 112:35-41.]. In this paper we further the research by documenting and developing community knowledge with a study of resident's observations and experiences of the industrial contamination. We conducted two surveys, a quantitative door-to-door survey and qualitative dust interview, designed to complement each other and bring together the observations and experiences in the different communities to develop the local knowledge. The combined methodology uses techniques from both social and physical science, and was developed with the cooperation of community members. The research supports the proposition that local knowledge adds contextual meaning that complements the physical measurement of environmental contaminants, in order to understand the complex environment in which people live, and the multiple exposure pathways through which they can be affected. Residents in all three communities provided vivid observations and detailed experiences of the industrial pollution in their community and homes. The local knowledge is consistent with our physical data and review of the historical scientific research in Sydney, and supports the inference that the community was adversely impacted by the coke and steel facility. From a justice perspective, the three communities should be equally considered for remediation as part of the 'tar pond remediation policy' rather than the current

Development of local knowledge of environmental contamination in Sydney, Nova Scotia: Environmental health practice from an environmental justice perspective

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lambert, Timothy W.; Guyn, Lindsay; Lane, Stephanie E.

2006-01-01

In Sydney, Nova Scotia, from 1901 through 1988 a coke and steel factory operated with no pollution controls, depositing over a million tons of particulate matter and releasing several thousands of tons of coal tar into the estuary. Previously we documented the presence of lead, arsenic and PAHs, in soil above Canadian guidelines, and in house dust in the communities surrounding the site [Lambert, TW, Lane, S. Lead, arsenic, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in soil and house dust in the communities surrounding the Sydney, Nova Scotia, tar ponds. Environ Health Perspect 2004; 112:35-41.]. In this paper we further the research by documenting and developing community knowledge with a study of resident's observations and experiences of the industrial contamination. We conducted two surveys, a quantitative door-to-door survey and qualitative dust interview, designed to complement each other and bring together the observations and experiences in the different communities to develop the local knowledge. The combined methodology uses techniques from both social and physical science, and was developed with the cooperation of community members. The research supports the proposition that local knowledge adds contextual meaning that complements the physical measurement of environmental contaminants, in order to understand the complex environment in which people live, and the multiple exposure pathways through which they can be affected. Residents in all three communities provided vivid observations and detailed experiences of the industrial pollution in their community and homes. The local knowledge is consistent with our physical data and review of the historical scientific research in Sydney, and supports the inference that the community was adversely impacted by the coke and steel facility. From a justice perspective, the three communities should be equally considered for remediation as part of the 'tar pond remediation policy' rather than the current policy of including

Do smoke-free environment policies reduce smoking on hospital grounds? Evaluation of a smoke-free health service policy at two Sydney hospitals.

Science.gov (United States)

Poder, Natasha; Carroll, Therese; Wallace, Cate; Hua, Myna

2012-05-01

To evaluate the compliance of hospital staff, inpatients and visitors with Sydney South West Area Health Service's Smoke-free Environment Policy. Six sites were observed at two Sydney hospitals 2 weeks before implementation of the policy and at 2 weeks, 6 months, 12 months, 18 months and 2 years after implementation. There was an overall significant 36% (P≤0.05) reduction in observed smoking incidents on hospital grounds 2 years after implementation. Two years after implementation, observed smoking incidents reduced by 44% (P≤0.05) in staff, 37% (P≤0.05) in visitors and remained unchanged among inpatients. The Smoke-free Environment Policy was effective in reducing visitors and staff observed smoking on hospital grounds, but had little effect on inpatients' smoking. Identifying strategies to effectively manage nicotine addiction and promote cessation amongst hospital inpatients remains a key priority.

Exigências de treonina para frangos de corte machos nas fases de 1 a 20, 24 a 38 e 44 a 56 dias de idade Threonine requirement of male broiler chicks from 1 to 20, 24 to 38 and 44 to 56 days of age

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anel Atencio

2004-08-01

Full Text Available Três experimentos foram realizados com o objetivo de determinar a exigência de treonina e a relação treonina:lisina digestível para frangos machos, Avian Farm, nas fases de 1 a 20, 24 a 38 e 44 a 56 dias de idade. Os experimentos foram conduzidos em delineamento inteiramente casualizado, com cinco níveis de treonina digestível, seis repetições e 20 aves por boxe nas fases de 1 a 20 e 24 a 38 dias de idade e 16 aves por boxe na fase de 44 a 56 dias de idade. Os níveis de treonina digestível utilizados nas diferentes fases foram: de 1 a 20 dias de idade, 0,684 a 0,870% (incremento de 0,047%; de 24 a 38 dias de idade, 0,637 a 0,807% (incremento de 0,043%; e de 44 a 56 dias de idade, 0,565 a 0,715% (incremento de 0,037%. No final de cada experimento, foram avaliadas as características de desempenho e a qualidade de carcaça. Houve efeito quadrático para consumo de ração e ganho de peso na fase de 1 a 20 dias de idade. A exigência de treonina digestível (total na fase de 1 a 20 dias de idade foi de 0,777% (0,890% total, correspondente a uma relação treonina:lisina de 67%, de acordo com os resultados de ganho de peso e com o modelo descontínuo. Não houve efeito dos níveis de treonina sobre as características de desempenho, sugerindo que o nível de treonina digestível (total de 0,637 (0,731% total, correspondente a uma relação de 60%, foi suficiente para atender às exigências das aves na fase de 24 a 38 dias de idade, no entanto níveis mais baixos devem ser estudados para determinação do valor exato da exigência. Observou-se efeito linear dos níveis de treonina digestível sobre o rendimento de perna na fase de 24 a 38 dias de idade. Não houve efeito dos níveis de treonina sobre as características de desempenho e rendimento de cortes nobres na fase de 44 a 56 dias de idade, sugerindo que o nível de treonina digestível (total de 0,565% (0,650% total, correspondente a uma relação de 60%, foi suficiente para

8q24 allelic imbalance and MYC gene copy number in primary prostate cancer.

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Chen, H; Liu, W; Roberts, W; Hooker, S; Fedor, H; DeMarzo, A; Isaacs, W; Kittles, R A

2010-09-01

Four independent regions within 8q24 near the MYC gene are associated with risk for prostate cancer (Pca). Here, we investigated allelic imbalance (AI) at 8q24 risk variants and MYC gene DNA copy number (CN) in 27 primary Pcas. Heterozygotes were observed in 24 of 27 patients at one or more 8q24 markers and 27% of the loci exhibited AI in tumor DNA. The 8q24 risk alleles were preferentially favored in the tumors. Increased MYC gene CN was observed in 33% of tumors, and the co-existence of increased MYC gene CN with AI at risk loci was observed in 86% (P<0.004 exact binomial test) of the informative tumors. No AI was observed in tumors, which did not reveal increased MYC gene CN. Higher Gleason score was associated with tumors exhibiting AI (P=0.04) and also with increased MYC gene CN (P=0.02). Our results suggest that AI at 8q24 and increased MYC gene CN may both be related to high Gleason score in Pca. Our findings also suggest that these two somatic alterations may be due to the same preferential chromosomal duplication event during prostate tumorigenesis.

Proficiency in English, Linguistic Shift and Ethnic Capital: An Intergenerational Analysis of Non-English Speaking Background Immigrant Groups in Sydney, Australia

Science.gov (United States)

Forrest, James; Dandy, Justine

2018-01-01

Much is known about immigrants' majority language proficiency in the first (immigrant) generation. Less is understood of differences in linguistic shift compared with heritage language retention in subsequent generations. Focusing on Sydney, Australia's largest "EthniCity," we build on Clyne and Kipp's (1999. "Pluricentric Languages…

Metal accumulation in the greentail prawn, Metapenaeus bennettae, in Sydney and Port Hacking estuaries, Australia.

Science.gov (United States)

Lewtas, K L M; Birch, G F; Foster-Thorpe, C

2014-01-01

Metal concentrations of the inshore greentail prawn, Metapenaeus bennettae, and surface sediments from locations within Sydney estuary and Port Hacking (Australia) were assessed for bioaccumulation and contamination. The current study aimed to assess metal concentrations in prawn tissue (tail muscle, exoskeleton, hepatopancreas and gills), relate whole body prawn tissue metal concentrations to sediment metal concentrations and animal size, as well as assess prawn consumption as a risk to human health. Metal concentrations were highest in sediment and prawns from contaminated locations (Iron Cove, Hen and Chicken Bay and Lane Cove) in Sydney estuary compared with the reference estuary (Port Hacking). Concentrations in sediments varied considerably between sites and between metals (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn), and although concentrations exceeded Interim Sediment Quality Guideline-Low values, metals (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn) were below Australian National Health and Medical Research Council human consumption guidelines in prawn tail muscle tissue. Metal concentrations in prawn tail muscle tissue were significantly different (p ≤ 0.05) amongst locations for Pb, Zn and Cd, and metal concentrations were generally highest in gills tissue, followed by the hepatopancreas, exoskeleton and tail muscle. The exoskeleton contained the highest Sr concentration; the hepatopancreas contained the highest As, Cu and Mo concentrations; and the gills contained the highest Al, Cr, Fe and Pb concentrations. Concentrations of Pb, As and Sr were significantly different (p ≤ 0.05) between size groups amongst locations.

Significance of common variants on human chromosome 8q24 in relation to the risk of prostate cancer in native Japanese men

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Hosoi Takayuki

2009-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Common variants on human chromosome 8q24, rs1447295 (C/A and rs6983267 (T/G, have been recently linked to the prevalence of prostate cancer in European and American populations. Here, we evaluated whether the single-nucleotide polymorphisms rs1447295 and rs6983267 were associated with the risk of sporadic prostate cancer as well as latent prostate cancer in a native Japanese population. Results We analyzed genomic DNA samples from 391 sporadic prostate cancer patients, 323 controls who had died from causes unrelated to cancer and 112 Japanese men who were diagnosed as having latent prostate cancer based on autopsy results. The polymorphisms were determined by allelic discrimination using a fluorescent-based TaqMan assay. The A allele of rs1447295 was significantly associated with the risk of sporadic prostate cancer (p = 0.04; age-adjusted OR, 1.34, while the G allele of rs6983267 showed a trend towards being a high-risk allele (p = 0.06; age-adjusted OR, 1.27. No significant difference between these two polymorphisms and the risk of latent prostate cancer was observed in the present Japanese population. Conclusion Known variants on human chromosome 8q24 may be risk factors for sporadic prostate cancer in native Japanese men.

Reproductive hormones and metabolic syndrome in 24 testicular cancer survivors and their biological brothers.

Science.gov (United States)

Bandak, M; Jørgensen, N; Juul, A; Lauritsen, J; Kier, M G G; Mortensen, M S; Oturai, P S; Mortensen, J; Hojman, P; Helge, J W; Daugaard, G

2017-07-01

Testicular cancer survivors have impaired gonadal function and increased risk of metabolic syndrome when compared to healthy controls. However, because of the fetal etiology of testicular cancer, familial unrelated healthy men might not be an optimal control group. The objective of this study was to clarify if testicular cancer survivors have impaired gonadal function and increased risk of metabolic syndrome when compared to their biological brothers. A cross-sectional study of testicular cancer survivors (ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT02240966) was conducted between 2014 and 2016. Of 158 testicular cancer survivors included, 24 had a biological brother who accepted to participate in the study. Serum levels of reproductive hormones and prevalence of metabolic syndrome according to International Diabetes Federation Criteria and National Cholesterol Education Program (Adult Treatment Panel III) criteria comprised the main outcome measures of the study. Median age was similar in testicular cancer survivors and their biological brothers [44 years (IQR 39-50) vs. 46 (40-53) years respectively (p = 0.1)]. In testicular cancer survivors, follow-up since treatment was 12 years (7-19). Serum levels of luteinizing hormone and follicle-stimulating hormone were elevated (p ≤ 0.001), while total testosterone, free testosterone, inhibin B and anti-Müllerian hormone were lower (p ≤ 0.001) in testicular cancer survivors than in their biological brothers. The prevalence of metabolic syndrome was similar and apart from HDL-cholesterol, which was lower in testicular cancer survivors (p = 0.01); there were no differences in the individual components of the metabolic syndrome between testicular cancer survivors and their brothers. In conclusion, gonadal function was impaired in testicular cancer survivors, while we did not detect any difference in the prevalence of metabolic syndrome between testicular cancer survivors and their biological brothers. © 2017 American

Biomarker screening of oral cancer cell lines revealed sub-populations of CD133-, CD44-, CD24- and ALDH1- positive cancer stem cells

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Kendall K

2013-05-01

Full Text Available Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC ranks sixth worldwide for cancer-related mortality. For the past several decades the mainstay of treatment for HNSCC has been surgery and external beam radiation, although more recent trials combining chemotherapy and radiation have demonstrated improvements. However, cancer recurrence and treatment failures continue to occur in a significant percentage of patients. Recent advances in tumor biology have led to the discovery that many cancers, including HNSCC, may contain subpopulations of cells with stem cell-like properties that may explain relapse and recurrence. The objective of this study was to screen existing oral cancer cell lines for biomarkers specific for cells with stem cell-like properties. RNA was isolated for RT-PCR screening using primers for specific mRNA of the biomarkers: CD44, CD24, CD133, NANOG, Nestin, ALDH1, and ABCG2 in CAL27, SCC25 and SCC15 cells. This analysis revealed that some oral cancer cell lines (CAL27 and SCC25 may contain small subpopulations of adhesion- and contact-independent cells (AiDC that also express tumor stem cell markers, including CD44, CD133, and CD24. In addition, CAL27 cells also expressed the intracellular tumor stem cell markers, ALDH1 and ABCG2. Isolation and culture of the adhesion- and contact-independent cells from CAL27 and SCC25 populations revealed differential proliferation rates and more robust inhibition by the MEK inhibitor PD98059, as well as the chemotherapeutic agents Cisplatin and Paclitaxel, within the AiDC CAL27 cells. At least one oral cancer cell line (CAL27 contained subpopulations of cells that express specific biomarkers associated with tumor stem cells which were morphologically and phenotypically distinct from other cells within this cell line.

Fetal heart rate patterns at 20 to 24 weeks gestation as recorded by fetal electrocardiography

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Hofmeyr, F; Groenewald, CA; Nel, DG; Myers, MM; Fifer, WP; Signore, C; Hankins, GDV; Odendaal, HJ

2014-01-01

Introduction With advancing technology it has become possible to accurately record and assess fetal heart rate (FHR) patterns from gestations as early as 20 weeks. The aim of our study was to describe early patterns of FHR, as recorded by transabdominal fetal electrocardiogram according to the Dawes-Redman criteria. Accordingly, short-term variability, basal heart rate, accelerations and decelerations were quantified at 20-24 weeks gestation among women with uncomplicated pregnancies. Methods This study was conducted in a subset of participants enrolled in a large prospective pregnancy cohort study. Our final data set consisted of 281 recordings of women with good perinatal outcomes that had undergone fetal electrocardiographic assessment as part of the Safe Passage Study. Results The success rate of the recordings was 95.4%. The mean frequency of small and large accelerations was 0.5 and 0.1 per 10 minutes respectively and that of small and large decelerations 0.3 and 0.008 per 10 minutes respectively. The mean and basal heart rates were both equal to 148.0 bpm at a median gestation of 161 days. The mean short term variation was 6.2 (SD 1.4) milliseconds and mean minute range 35.1 (SD 7.1) milliseconds. Conclusion The 20 to 24 week fetus demonstrates FHR patterns with more accelerations and decelerations, as well as higher baseline variability than was anticipated. Information from this study provides an important foundation for further, more detailed, studies of early FHR patterns. PMID:23991757

The role of sialomucin CD164 (MGC-24v or endolyn) in prostate cancer metastasis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Havens, AM; Jung, Y; Sun, YX; Wang, J; Shah, RB; Bühring, HJ; Pienta, KJ; Taichman, RS

2006-01-01

The chemokine stromal derived factor-1 (SDF-1 or CXCL12) and its receptor CXCR4 have been demonstrated to be crucial for the homing of stem cells and prostate cancers to the marrow. While screening prostate cancers for CXCL12-responsive adhesion molecules, we identified CD164 (MGC-24) as a potential regulator of homing. CD164 is known to function as a receptor that regulates stem cell localization to the bone marrow. Using prostate cancer cell lines, it was demonstrated that CXCL12 induced both the expression of CD164 mRNA and protein. Functional studies demonstrated that blocking CD164 on prostate cancer cell lines reduced the ability of these cells to adhere to human bone marrow endothelial cells, and invade into extracellular matrices. Human tissue microarrays stained for CD164 demonstrated a positive correlation with prostate-specific antigen levels, while its expression was negatively correlated with the expression of androgen receptor. Our findings suggest that CD164 may participate in the localization of prostate cancer cells to the marrow and is further evidence that tumor metastasis and hematopoietic stem cell trafficking may involve similar processes

Melbourne versus Sydney: semiotic reflections on first and second cities.

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Massimo Leone

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Urban marketing has recently been adopting the concept, and the label, of “second city”. However, this concept requires sharper theoretical definition in order to turn heuristic. Thus far, it has been conceived in relation to an “ideology of ranking”, strictly related to the worldview of post-modern globalization. A more fruitful definition of “second cities” results from Charles S. Peirce’s idea of secondness: a city is second to another not in quantitative, but in qualitative and relational terms. The semiotic model of Jurij M. Lotman offers a suitable methodology to analyse this relational definition, as it is exemplified by the case-study of the rivalry between Melbourne and Sydney. A historical survey of their relation shows that the latter progressively embraced an identity of “secondness” so as to successfully market an alternative vision of urban life. Melbourne therefore provides a model for non-quantitative construction of urban distinctiveness.

An audit of food and beverage advertising on the Sydney metropolitan train network: regulation and policy implications

OpenAIRE

Emma Sainsbury; Stephen Colagiuri; Roger Magnusson

2017-01-01

Background Increased marketing of energy-dense, nutrient-poor foods has been identified as a driver of the global obesity epidemic and a priority area for preventative efforts. Local and international research has focused on the unhealthiness of television advertising, with limited research into the growing outdoor advertising industry. This study aimed to examine the extent of food and beverage advertising on the Sydney metropolitan train network, and to assess the nutritional quality of adv...

Validation of the online prediction tool PREDICT v. 2.0 in the Dutch breast cancer population

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Maaren, M.C. van; Steenbeek, C.D. van; Pharoah, P.D.; Witteveen, A.; Sonke, G.S.; Strobbe, L.J.A.; Poortmans, P.; Siesling, S.

2017-01-01

BACKGROUND: PREDICT version 2.0 is increasingly used to estimate prognosis in breast cancer. This study aimed to validate this tool in specific prognostic subgroups in the Netherlands. METHODS: All operated women with non-metastatic primary invasive breast cancer, diagnosed in 2005, were selected

Validation of the online prediction tool PREDICT v. 2.0 in the Dutch breast cancer population

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Maaren, M. C.; van Steenbeek, C. D.; Pharoah, P. D.P.; Witteveen, A.; Sonke, Gabe S.; Strobbe, L.J.A.; Poortmans, P.M.P.; Siesling, S.

2017-01-01

Background PREDICT version 2.0 is increasingly used to estimate prognosis in breast cancer. This study aimed to validate this tool in specific prognostic subgroups in the Netherlands. Methods All operated women with non-metastatic primary invasive breast cancer, diagnosed in 2005, were selected from

Smoking status and associated factors among male Chinese restaurant workers in metropolitan Sydney.

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Jiang, Wei; Leung, Brenda; Tam, Nancy; Xu, Huilan; Gleeson, Suzanne; Wen, Li Ming

2017-03-01

Issue addressed The smoking rate among male Chinese migrants in Australia is higher than among the general population. This study investigated the smoking rate of male Chinese restaurant workers in metropolitan Sydney, and explored factors associated with smoking and quitting. Methods A self-administered questionnaire survey was completed by Chinese workers in selected Chinese restaurants in metropolitan Sydney from October-December 2012. Eighty-nine Chinese restaurants were approached and 54 (61%) took part in the study. The questionnaire asked participants about their smoking status, knowledge of and attitudes to smoking and quitting as well as socio-demographic information. Multivariable logistic regression was built to assess the associated factors. Results Of the 382 participants who completed the survey, 171 (45%) were current smokers and 50% of current smokers wanted to quit smoking. Participants who spoke Mandarin, had lower English proficiency, did not realise environmental smoke harms children, did not prefer a smoke-free environment or had more than 50% of relatives or friends who smoked were more likely to be current smokers. Participants who were aged 18-29 years, did not understand the benefits of quitting smoking or did not prefer a smoke-free environment were less likely to want to quit. Conclusions Nearly 50% of male Chinese restaurant workers surveyed in this study were current smokers. Key factors associated with the participants' smoking or quitting status are: aged 18-29 years; speaking Mandarin; lower English literacy; and not knowing the dangers of smoking. So what? Tobacco control programs targetted at male Chinese restaurant workers that raise awareness of the harm caused by smoking and the benefits of quitting smoking are required to enhance intention to quit smoking within this population.

Trim24 (Tif1 alpha): an essential 'brake' for retinoic acid-induced transcription to prevent liver cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Khetchoumian, Konstantin; Teletin, Marius; Tisserand, Johan; Herquel, Benjamin; Ouararhni, Khalid; Losson, Régine

2008-12-01

Retinoic acid (RA), the active derivative of vitamin A, is an important signaling molecule that controls various developmental processes and influence the proliferation and differentiation of a variety of cell types. RA exerts its biological functions primarily through binding to and activating nuclear RA receptors (RARs, which include the RAR alpha, beta and gamma isotypes RARA, RARB and RARC). Aberrant expression or impaired function of these nuclear receptors has been linked to diverse types of cancer. RARs are RA-dependent transcription factors that regulate gene expression through the recruitment of different co-regulators (co-activators and co-repressors). TRIM24 (formerly known as TIF1 alpha) was among the first co-regulators identified as interacting with RARs in a ligand-dependent fashion, and it was recently shown to function in mice as a potent liver-specific tumor suppressor by attenuating Rara-mediated transcription. The fact that Trim24(-/-), but not Trim24(-/-)Rara(+/-), mutant mice are highly predisposed to the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has significant implications in cancer research. This result, along with the observation that in response to pharmacological inhibition of the RA signaling, hepatocytes lacking Trim24 loose their ability to proliferate, strongly implicates Rara as a proto-oncogene in hepatocytes and demonstrates that overactivated RA signaling is deleterious to liver homeostasis.

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN INFLATION AND UNEMPLOYMENT IN ROMANIA, AGE GROUP 20-24 YEARS

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Ortansa T. FLOREA (MOISE

2014-04-01

Full Text Available Romania, like many other states, is affected by two major imbalances: inflation and unemployment. The article proposes an analysis of the inflation – unemployment relationship over time and particularly the coverage of this relationship in Romania, considering the age group 20-24 years. In order to identify this relationship, it will be used data from the National Bank of Romania and National Institute of Statistics. Based on the data collected, we will try to trace the Phillips curve. Also, the curve obtained will be analyzed and will try to identify the stage / stages in which it falls, steps taken by the Phillips curve in the postwar period and described by Milton Friedman.

Retention of a 24-hour time memory in Syrian hamsters carrying the 20-hour short circadian period mutation in casein kinase-1ε (ck1εtau/tau).

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Cain, Sean W; Yoon, Jeena; Shrestha, Tenjin C; Ralph, Martin R

2014-10-01

Circadian rhythmic expression of conditioned place avoidance (CPA) was produced in Syrian hamsters homozygous for the circadian short period mutation, tau. In constant dim red light neither the 20 h endogenous period, nor a 20 h place conditioning schedule eliminated the 24 h modulation of CPA behavior described previously for wild type (wt) hamsters and other species. Tau mutants exhibited a 20 h rhythm superimposed on the 24 h modulation. The 20 h component was removed selectively with lesions of the suprachiasmatic nucleus. Wt animals conditioned on a 20 h schedule did not produce a 20 h rhythm, but still expressed the 24 h modulation. The results show that the context entrainable oscillator (CEO) underlying memory for the timing of an unconditioned stimulus, retains a period of about 24 h regardless of clock gene background (tau mutation) and/or the conditioning schedule (24 vs 20 h). Therefore the CEO responsible for time memory is distinct from the biological clock controlling activity; the underlying circadian molecular mechanisms may differ from the ubiquitous transcription-translation feedback oscillator; and time memory itself is not classically conditioned. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

National Working Group Meeting on ALK diagnostics in lung cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Cooper, Wendy; Fox, Stephen; O'Toole, Sandra; Morey, Adrienne; Frances, Glenn; Pavlakis, Nick; O'Byrne, Kenneth; Dettrick, Andrew; Leong, Trishe; Rathi, Vivek; Spagnolo, Dominic; Hemmings, Chris; Singh, Mahendra; Moffat, David; Tsao, Ming-Sound; Wilner, Keith; Buller, Richard; Pitman Lowenthal, Susan; Arifeen, Shams; Binko, Justin; Alam, Mahmood

2014-04-01

The global landscape of molecular testing is rapidly changing, with the recent publication of the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC)/College of American Pathologists (CAP) guidelines and the ALK Atlas. The IASLC/CAP guidelines recommend that tumors from patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) be tested for ALK rearrangements in addition to epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations. The spur for this recommendation is the availability of novel therapies that target these rearrangements. This article is based on coverage of a Pfizer-sponsored National Working Group Meeting on ALK Diagnostics in Lung Cancer, held around the 15th World Lung Cancer Conference, in Sydney on October 31, 2013. It is based on the presentations given by the authors at the meeting and the discussion that ensued. The content for this article was discussed and agreed on by the authors. © 2014 Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

An audit of food and beverage advertising on the Sydney metropolitan train network: regulation and policy implications

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Emma Sainsbury

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Increased marketing of energy-dense, nutrient-poor foods has been identified as a driver of the global obesity epidemic and a priority area for preventative efforts. Local and international research has focused on the unhealthiness of television advertising, with limited research into the growing outdoor advertising industry. This study aimed to examine the extent of food and beverage advertising on the Sydney metropolitan train network, and to assess the nutritional quality of advertised products against the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating. Methods All 178 train stations on the Sydney metropolitan train network were surveyed in summer and winter. A survey tool was developed to collect information for all advertisements on and immediately surrounding the train station. Information included product, brand, location and advertisement format. Advertisements were coded by nutrition category, product subcategory and size. Chi-square, ANOVA and ANCOVA tests were conducted to test for differences in the amount of food and beverage advertising by season and area socioeconomic status (SES. Results Of 6931 advertisements identified, 1915 (27.6% were promoting a food or beverage. The majority of food and beverage advertisements were for unhealthy products; 84.3% were classified as discretionary, 8.0% core and 7.6% miscellaneous. Snack foods and sugar-sweetened beverages were the most frequently advertised products, regardless of season. Coca-Cola and PepsiCo were the largest advertisers on the network, contributing 10.9% and 6.5% of total advertisements respectively. There was no difference in the mean number of food and beverage advertisements by area SES, but the proportion of advertising that was for discretionary foods was highest in low SES areas (41.9%, p < 0.001. Conclusions The results indicate that, irrespective of season, food and beverage advertisements across the Sydney metropolitan train network are overwhelmingly for

An audit of food and beverage advertising on the Sydney metropolitan train network: regulation and policy implications.

Science.gov (United States)

Sainsbury, Emma; Colagiuri, Stephen; Magnusson, Roger

2017-05-22

Increased marketing of energy-dense, nutrient-poor foods has been identified as a driver of the global obesity epidemic and a priority area for preventative efforts. Local and international research has focused on the unhealthiness of television advertising, with limited research into the growing outdoor advertising industry. This study aimed to examine the extent of food and beverage advertising on the Sydney metropolitan train network, and to assess the nutritional quality of advertised products against the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating. All 178 train stations on the Sydney metropolitan train network were surveyed in summer and winter. A survey tool was developed to collect information for all advertisements on and immediately surrounding the train station. Information included product, brand, location and advertisement format. Advertisements were coded by nutrition category, product subcategory and size. Chi-square, ANOVA and ANCOVA tests were conducted to test for differences in the amount of food and beverage advertising by season and area socioeconomic status (SES). Of 6931 advertisements identified, 1915 (27.6%) were promoting a food or beverage. The majority of food and beverage advertisements were for unhealthy products; 84.3% were classified as discretionary, 8.0% core and 7.6% miscellaneous. Snack foods and sugar-sweetened beverages were the most frequently advertised products, regardless of season. Coca-Cola and PepsiCo were the largest advertisers on the network, contributing 10.9% and 6.5% of total advertisements respectively. There was no difference in the mean number of food and beverage advertisements by area SES, but the proportion of advertising that was for discretionary foods was highest in low SES areas (41.9%, p food and beverage advertisements across the Sydney metropolitan train network are overwhelmingly for unhealthy (discretionary) products. The results of this study highlight the inadequacy of Australia's voluntary self

Identification of a region of frequent loss of heterozygosity at 11q24 in colorectal cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Connolly, K C; Gabra, H; Millwater, C J; Taylor, K J; Rabiasz, G J; Watson, J E; Smyth, J F; Wyllie, A H; Jodrell, D I

1999-06-15

Loss of heterozygosity (LOH) at 11q23-qter occurs frequently in ovarian and other cancers, but for colorectal cancer, the evidence is conflicting. Seven polymorphic loci were analyzed between D11S897 and D11S969 in 50 colorectal tumors. Two distinct LOH regions were detected, suggesting possible sites for tumor-suppressor genes involved in colorectal neoplasia: a large centromeric region between D11S897 and D11S925, and a telomeric 4.9-Mb region between D11S912 and D11S969. There was no correlation with clinicopathological features. This analysis describes a region of LOH in the region 11q23.3-24.3 for the first time in colorectal cancer and provides complementary evidence for the ongoing effort to identify the gene(s) involved.

Xenopatients 2.0: reprogramming the epigenetic landscapes of patient-derived cancer genomes.

Science.gov (United States)

Menendez, Javier A; Alarcón, Tomás; Corominas-Faja, Bruna; Cuyàs, Elisabet; López-Bonet, Eugeni; Martin, Angel G; Vellon, Luciano

2014-01-01

following the activation of phenotypic copies of specific cancer diseases might crucially evaluate a "reprogramming cure" for cancer. A new era of xenopatients 2.0 generated via nuclear reprogramming of the epigenetic landscapes of patient-derived cancer genomes might revolutionize the current personalized translational platforms in cancer research.

The prevalence of the Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome in Sydney, Australia: a prospective necropsy study.

Science.gov (United States)

Harper, C; Gold, J; Rodriguez, M; Perdices, M

1989-01-01

In a prospective necropsy study, the prevalence of the Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome (WKS) in Sydney, Australia was 2.1% of adults over the age of 15 years. The population studied encompassed a wide spectrum of socio-economic and cultural backgrounds. Abuse of alcohol appeared to be the major predisposing factor to the development of the WKS in cases which were adequately documented. This high prevalence rate is in line with other clinical and pathological Australian studies and provides additional support for the idea of prevention of the WKS by the use of thiamin supplements in the Australian diet in flour, bread and perhaps alcoholic beverages. PMID:2784828

The 8q24 rs6983267G variant is associated with increased thyroid cancer risk.

Science.gov (United States)

Sahasrabudhe, Ruta; Estrada, Ana; Lott, Paul; Martin, Lynn; Polanco Echeverry, Guadalupe; Velez, Alejandro; Neta, Gila; Takahasi, Meiko; Saenko, Vladimir; Mitsutake, Norisato; Jaeguer, Emma; Duque, Carlos Simon; Rios, Alejandro; Bohorquez, Mabel; Prieto, Rodrigo; Criollo, Angel; Echeverry, Magdalena; Tomlinson, Ian; Carmona, Luis G Carvajal

2015-10-01

The G allele of the rs6983267 single-nucleotide polymorphism, located on chromosome 8q24, has been associated with increased risk of several cancer types. The association between rs6983267G and thyroid cancer (TC) has been tested in different populations, mostly of European ancestry, and has led to inconclusive results. While significant associations have been reported in the British and Polish populations, no association has been detected in populations from Spain, Italy and the USA. To further investigate the role of rs6983267G in TC susceptibility, we evaluated rs6983267 genotypes in three populations of different continental ancestry (British Isles, Colombia and Japan), providing a total of 3067 cases and 8575 controls. We detected significant associations between rs6983267G and TC in the British Isles (odds ratio (OR)=1.19, 95% CI: 1.11-1.27, P=4.03×10(-7)), Japan (OR=1.20, 95% CI: 1.03-1.41, P=0.022) and a borderline significant association of similar effect direction and size in Colombia (OR=1.19, 95% CI: 0.99-1.44, P=0.069). A meta-analysis of our multi-ethnic study and previously published non-overlapping datasets, which included a total of 5484 cases and 12 594 controls, confirmed the association between rs6983267G and TC (P=1.23×10(-7), OR=1.13, 95% CI: 1.08-1.18). Our results therefore support the notion that rs6983267G is a bona fide TC risk variant that increases the risk of disease by ∼13%. © 2015 Society for Endocrinology.

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article/51016 2018-04-24T21:09:20Z ijdmr:ART Client's constraining factors to construction project management success in Nigeria: a systems analytical approach Nwachukwu, C.C Project success, Client's constraints, Factor analysis This study ...

Retrofitting Housing with Lightweight Green Roof Technology in Sydney, Australia, and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

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Sara Wilkinson

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The built environment contributes around half of total greenhouse gas emissions and with 87% of residential buildings that we will have by 2050 already built, it is vital to adopt sustainable retrofitting practices. The question is: what are the viable solutions? One answer may be green roof retrofitting. The environmental benefits include reduced operational carbon emissions, reduced urban heat island effect, increased bio-diversity, housing temperature attenuation and reduced stormwater run-off. The economic benefits are the reduced maintenance costs and lower running costs. The social gain is the creation of spaces where people have access to green areas. However, the barriers to retrofitting include the perceptions of structural adequacy, the risk of water damage, high installation and maintenance costs, as well as access and security issues. Many Australian and Brazilian residential buildings have metal sheet roofs, a lightweight material with poor thermal performance. During the summer, temperatures in Sydney and Rio de Janeiro reach 45 degrees Celsius, and in both cities, rainfall patterns are changing, with more intense downpours. Furthermore, many residential buildings are leased, and currently, tenants are restricted by the modifications that they can perform to reduce running costs and carbon emissions. This research reports on an experiment on two small-scale metal roofs in Sydney and Rio de Janeiro to assess the thermal performance of portable small-scale modules. The findings are that considerable variation in temperature was found in both countries, indicating that green roof retrofitting could lower the cooling energy demand considerably.

Mass spectra and fusion cross sections for 20Ne+24Mg interaction at 55 and 85 MeV

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grotowski, K.; Belery, P.; Delbar, T.; El Masri, Y.; Gregoire, G.; Janssens, R.; Vervier, J.; Paic, G.; Albinska, M.; Albinski, J.; Kopta, S.; Kozik, T.; Planeta, R.

1981-01-01

Inclusive γ spectra from the 20 Ne+ 24 Mg interaction have been measured using 55- and 85-MeV 20 Ne ions. The identification of γ lines allows the determination of mass spectra in the region 12< or =A< or =43. Experimental results are compared with statistical model calculations. The total reaction and fusion cross sections are extracted. Cross sections for inelastic scattering, few nucleon transfers, and deep inelastic scattering are estimated

Growth and decline of shoreline industry in Sydney estuary (Australia) and influence on adjacent estuarine sediments.

Science.gov (United States)

Birch, G F; Lean, J; Gunns, T

2015-06-01

Sydney estuary (Australia), like many urbanised waterways, is degraded due to an extended history of anthropogenic activity. Two major sources of contamination to this estuary are discharge by former shoreline industries and historic and contemporary catchment stormwater. The objectives of the present study were to document changes in shoreline land use from European settlement to the present day and determine the influence of this trend on the metal content of adjacent estuarine sediments. Temporal analysis of land use for seven time horizons between 1788 and 2010 showed rapid expansion of industry along much of the Sydney estuary foreshore soon after European settlement due to the benefits of easy and inexpensive access and readily available water for cooling and power. Shoreline industry attained maximum development in 1978 (32-km length) and declined rapidly to the present-day (9-km length) through redevelopment of industrial sites into medium- to high-density, high-value residential housing. Cores taken adjacent to 11 long-term industrial sites showed that past industrial practices contributed significantly to contamination of estuarine sediment. Subsurface metal concentrations were up to 35 times that of present-day surface sediment and over 100 times greater than natural background concentrations. Sedimentation rates for areas adjacent to shoreline industry were between 0.6 and 2.5 cm/year, and relaxation times were estimated at 50 to 100 years. Natural relaxation and non-disturbance of sediments may be the best management practice in most locations.

Supportive and palliative care needs of families of children who die from cancer: an Australian study.

Science.gov (United States)

Monterosso, Leanne; Kristjanson, Linda J

2008-01-01

To obtain feedback from parents of children who died from cancer about their understanding of palliative care, their experiences of palliative and supportive care received during their child's illness, and their palliative and supportive care needs. A qualitative study with semi-structured interviews. 24 parents from Perth (n = 10), Melbourne (n = 5), Brisbane (n = 5) and Sydney (n = 4). Five Australian tertiary paediatric oncology centres. Results Parents whose children died from cancer live within a context of chronic uncertainty and apprehension. Parents construed palliative care negatively as an independent process at the end of their children's lives rather than as a component of a wider and continuous process where children and their families are offered both curative and palliative care throughout the cancer trajectory. The concept of palliative care was perceived to be misunderstood by key health professionals involved in the care of the child and family. The importance and therapeutic value of authentic and honest relationships between health professionals and parents, and between health professionals and children were highlighted as a critical aspect of care. Also highlighted was the need to include children and adolescents in decision making, and for the delivery of compassionate end-of-life care that is sensitive to the developmental needs of the children, their parents and siblings. There is a need for health professionals to better understand the concept of palliative care, and factors that contribute to honest, open, authentic and therapeutic relationships of those concerned in the care of the dying child. This will facilitate a better understanding by both parents and their children with cancer, and acceptance of the integration of palliative and supportive care in routine cancer care.

Sudden temperature changes in the Sydney Basin: climatology and case studies during the Olympic months of September and October

Science.gov (United States)

Buckley, Bruce W.; Leslie, Lance M.

2000-03-01

The accurate prediction of sudden large changes in the maximum temperature from one day to the next remains one of the major challenges for operational forecasters. It is probably the meteorological parameter most commonly verified and used as a measure of the skill of a meteorological service and one that is immediately evident to the general public. Marked temperature changes over a short period of time have widespread social, economic, health and safety effects on the community. The first part of this paper describes a 40-year climatology for Sydney, Australia, of sudden temperature rises and falls, defined as maximum temperature changes of 5°C or more from one day to the next, for the months of September and October. The nature of the forecasting challenge during the period of the Olympic and Paralympic Games to be held in Sydney in the year 2000 will be described as a special application. The international importance of the accurate prediction of all types of significant weather phenomena during this period has been recognized by the World Meteorological Organisation's Commission for Atmospheric Science. The first World Weather Research Program forecast demonstration project is to be established in the Sydney Office of the Bureau of Meteorology over this period in order to test the ability of existing systems to predict such phenomena. The second part of this study investigates two case studies from the Olympic months in which there were both abrupt temperature rises and falls over a 4-day interval. Currently available high resolution numerical weather prediction systems are found to have significant skill several days ahead in predicting a large amount of the detail of these events, provided they are run at an appropriate resolution. The limitations of these systems are also discussed, with areas requiring further development being identified if the desired levels of accuracy of predictions are to be reliably delivered. Differences between the predictability

A Novel Role of Dickkopf-Related Protein 3 in Macropinocytosis in Human Bladder Cancer T24 Cells

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Nonoka Tsujimura

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Dickkopf-related protein 3 (Dkk-3 is a potential tumor suppressor reported in various cancer entities. However, we found that Dkk-3 was exceptionally upregulated in bladder cancer T24 cells. To validate the biological role of Dkk-3 other than a tumor suppressor, we examined the function of Dkk-3 in T24 cells. Gene silencing of Dkk-3 inhibited cell growth through inducing G0/G1 cell-cycle arrest. Furthermore, Dkk-3 knock-down caused macropinocytosis accompanied by autophagy, which were canceled in part by their inhibitors 5-(N-ethyl-N-isopropyl amiloride (EIPA and 3-methyladenine (3-MA. The macropinocytosis was induced by the Dkk-3 knock-down when there were sufficient extracellular nutrients. On the other hand, when the nutritional condition was poor, the autophagy was mainly induced by the Dkk-3 knock-down. These data indicated that Dkk-3 has a role in modulating macropinocytotic and autophagic pathways, a distinct function other than a Wnt antagonist.

A Novel Role of Dickkopf-Related Protein 3 in Macropinocytosis in Human Bladder Cancer T24 Cells

Science.gov (United States)

Tsujimura, Nonoka; Yamada, Nami O.; Kuranaga, Yuki; Kumazaki, Minami; Shinohara, Haruka; Taniguchi, Kohei; Akao, Yukihiro

2016-01-01

Dickkopf-related protein 3 (Dkk-3) is a potential tumor suppressor reported in various cancer entities. However, we found that Dkk-3 was exceptionally upregulated in bladder cancer T24 cells. To validate the biological role of Dkk-3 other than a tumor suppressor, we examined the function of Dkk-3 in T24 cells. Gene silencing of Dkk-3 inhibited cell growth through inducing G0/G1 cell-cycle arrest. Furthermore, Dkk-3 knock-down caused macropinocytosis accompanied by autophagy, which were canceled in part by their inhibitors 5-(N-ethyl-N-isopropyl) amiloride (EIPA) and 3-methyladenine (3-MA). The macropinocytosis was induced by the Dkk-3 knock-down when there were sufficient extracellular nutrients. On the other hand, when the nutritional condition was poor, the autophagy was mainly induced by the Dkk-3 knock-down. These data indicated that Dkk-3 has a role in modulating macropinocytotic and autophagic pathways, a distinct function other than a Wnt antagonist. PMID:27827955

The medical officer's journal: HMAS Sydney 1913-1922. An Australian Naval record of surgery and anaesthesia at the time of the outbreak of World War I.

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McDonald, J M; Todd, E M

2014-07-01

The Medical Officer's Journal of HMAS Sydney was a record kept by the ship's Surgeon, Leonard Darby, of the conditions on the ship and the health, diseases, injuries and treatment of the sailor's under his care. Records of anaesthesia and surgery indicate chloroform was mostly administered as was ether occasionally. There was some use of intravenous and subcutaneous fluids for resuscitation. The journal also provides an eyewitness account of the Sydney-Emden battle on 9 November 1914 which occurred off the Cocos Keeling Islands and was a famous first victory for the young Australian Navy, making headlines around the world. The treatment of the many injured, mostly Germans, is described; with the two Australian surgeons and the surviving German surgeon working together.

The National Trust and the Heritage of Sydney Harbour

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Cameron Logan

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Campaigns to preserve the legacy of the past in Australian cities have been particularly focused on the protection of natural landscapes and public open space. From campaigns to protect Perth’s Kings Park and the Green Bans of the Builders Labourers Federation in New South Wales to contemporary controversies such as the Perth waterfront redevelopment, Melbourne’s East West Link, and new development at Middle Harbour in Sydney’s Mosman, heritage activists have viewed the protection and restoration of ‘natural’ vistas, open spaces and ‘scenic landscapes’ as a vital part of the effort to preserve the historic identity of urban places. The protection of such landscapes has been a vital aspect of establishing a positive conception of the environment as a source of both urban and national identity. Drawing predominantly on the records of the National Trust of Australia (NSW, this paper examines the formation and early history of the Australian National Trust, in particular its efforts to preserve and restore the landscapes of Sydney Harbour. It then uses that history as a basis for examining the debate surrounding the landscape reconstruction project that forms part of Sydney’s highly contested Barangaroo development.

Hormone withdrawal-associated symptoms with ethinylestradiol 20 µg/drospirenone 3 mg (24/4 regimen versus ethinylestradiol 20 µg/desogestrel 150 µg (21/7 regimen

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Bitzer J

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Johannes Bitzer,1 Maria Jesusa Banal-Silao,2 Hans-Joachim Ahrendt,3 Jaime Restrepo,4 Marion Hardtke,5 Ulrike Wissinger-Graefenhahn,6 Dietmar Trummer7 1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital of Basel, Basel, Switzerland; 2University of the Philippines College of Medicine, Manila, Philippines; 3Praxis für Frauenheilkunde, Klinische Forschung und Weiterbildung (Clinical Research and Further Education, Magdeburg, Germany; 4Centro de Investigación Clínica, Clinica Medellin Poblado, Medellin, Colombia; 5Global Clinical Development Operations, Bayer Pharma AG, Berlin, Germany; 6Global Medical Affairs Women’s Healthcare, Bayer Pharma AG, Berlin, Germany; 7Clinical Statistics Europe, Bayer Pharma AG, Berlin, Germany Objective: To assess whether the combined oral contraceptive (COC ethinylestradiol (EE 20 µg/drospirenone 3 mg taken in a 24/4-day regimen (ie, 4-day hormone-free interval is more effective than an EE 20 µg/desogestrel (DSG 150 µg COC taken in a 21/7-day regimen (ie, 7-day hormone-free interval in reducing hormone withdrawal-associated symptoms (HWAS.Methods: This double-blind, randomized study (NLM identifier: NCT01076582 was conducted at 34 centers in 12 countries. Otherwise healthy women who experienced ≥2 HWAS of headache, pelvic pain, and/or bloating when using their current COCs in a 21/7-day regimen were recruited. Subjects rated the severity of their HWAS daily on a seven-point Likert scale during a baseline cycle and during four 28-day cycles with EE/drospirenone 24/4 (n=290 or EE/DSG 21/7 (n=304. The primary variable was the mean change from baseline to cycle 4 in the composite HWAS score (sum of scores for all three symptoms during cycle days 22–28.Results: In the EE/drospirenone 24/4 group, the mean (standard deviation composite HWAS score during cycle days 22–28 was reduced from 42.2 (24.8 at baseline to 12.8 (13.4 at cycle 4 (change from baseline: -30.3 [22.9]. In the EE/DSG 21/7 group, the

Detection of the pandemic norovirus variant GII.4 Sydney 2012 in Rio Branco, state of Acre, northern Brazil

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Luciana Damascena da Silva

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Noroviruses (NoVs are important cause of gastroenteritis in humans worldwide. Genotype GII.4 is responsible for the majority of outbreaks reported to date. This study describes, for the first time in Brazil, the circulation of NoV GII.4 variant Sydney 2012 in faecal samples collected from children aged less than or equal to eight years in Rio Branco, state of Acre, northern Brazil, during July-September 2012.

Development and validation of the nasopharyngeal cancer scale among the system of quality of life instruments for cancer patients (QLICP-NA V2.0): combined classical test theory and generalizability theory.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Jiayuan; Hu, Liren; Zhang, Gaohua; Liang, Qilian; Meng, Qiong; Wan, Chonghua

2016-08-01

This research was designed to develop a nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC) scale based on quality of life (QOL) instruments for cancer patients (QLICP-NA). This scale was developed by using a modular approach and was evaluated by classical test and generalizability theories. Programmed decision procedures and theories on instrument development were applied to create QLICP-NA V2.0. A total of 121 NPC inpatients were assessed using QLICP-NA V2.0 to measure their QOL data from hospital admission until discharge. Scale validity, reliability, and responsiveness were evaluated by correlation, factor, parallel, multi-trait scaling, and t test analyses, as well as by generalizability (G) and decision (D) studies of the generalizability theory. Results of multi-trait scaling, correlation, factor, and parallel analyses indicated that QLICP-NA V2.0 exhibited good construct validity. The significant difference of QOL between the treated and untreated NPC patients indicated a good clinical validity of the questionnaire. The internal consistency (α) and test-retest reliability coefficients (intra-class correlations) of each domain, as well as the overall scale, were all >0.70. Ceiling effects were not found in all domains and most facets, except for common side effects (24.8 %) in the domain of common symptoms and side effects, tumor early symptoms (27.3 %) and therapeutic side effects (23.2 %) in specific domain, whereas floor effects did not exist in each domain/facet. The overall changes in the physical and social domains were significantly different between pre- and post-treatments with a moderate effective size (standard response mean) ranging from 0.21 to 0.27 (p theory. QLICP-NA V2.0 exhibited reasonable degrees of validity, reliability, and responsiveness. However, this scale must be further improved before it can be used as a practical instrument to evaluate the QOL of NPC patients in China.

High body mass index and cancer risk

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Benn, Marianne; Tybjærg-Hansen, Anne; Smith, George Davey

2016-01-01

of follow-up (range 0-37), 8002 developed non-skin cancer, 3347 non-melanoma skin cancer, 1396 lung cancer, 637 other smoking related cancers, 1203 colon cancer, 159 kidney cancer, 1402 breast cancer, 1062 prostate cancer, and 2804 other cancers. Participants were genotyped for five genetic variants...... with a BMI ≥ 30 versus 18.5-24.9 kg/m(2). Corresponding risk of breast cancer was 20 % (0-44 %) higher in postmenopausal women. BMI was not associated with risk of colon, kidney, other smoking related cancers, prostate cancer, or other cancers. In genetic analyses, carrying 7-10 versus 0-4 BMI increasing......High body mass index (BMI) has been associated with increased risk of some cancer. Whether these reflect causal associations is unknown. We examined this issue. Using a Mendelian randomisation approach, we studied 108,812 individuals from the general population. During a median of 4.7 years...

Astemizole synergizes calcitriol antiproliferative activity by inhibiting CYP24A1 and upregulating VDR: a novel approach for breast cancer therapy.

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Janice García-Quiroz

Full Text Available Calcitriol antiproliferative effects include inhibition of the oncogenic ether-à-go-go-1 potassium channel (Eag1 expression, which is necessary for cell cycle progression and tumorigenesis. Astemizole, a new promising antineoplastic drug, targets Eag1 by blocking ion currents. Herein, we characterized the interaction between calcitriol and astemizole as well as their conjoint antiproliferative action in SUM-229PE, T-47D and primary tumor-derived breast cancer cells.Molecular markers were studied by immunocytochemistry, Western blot and real time PCR. Inhibitory concentrations were determined by dose-response curves and metabolic activity assays. At clinically achievable drug concentrations, synergistic antiproliferative interaction was observed between calcitriol and astemizole, as calculated by combination index analysis (CI <1. Astemizole significantly enhanced calcitriol's growth-inhibitory effects (3-11 folds, P<0.01. Mean IC(20 values were 1.82 ± 2.41 nM and 1.62 ± 0.75 µM; for calcitriol (in estrogen receptor negative cells and astemizole, respectively. Real time PCR showed that both drugs alone downregulated, while simultaneous treatment further reduced Ki-67 and Eag1 gene expression (P<0.05. Astemizole inhibited basal and calcitriol-induced CYP24A1 and CYP3A4 mRNA expression (cytochromes involved in calcitriol and astemizole degradation in breast and hepatoma cancer cells, respectively, while upregulated vitamin D receptor (VDR expression.Astemizole synergized calcitriol antiproliferative effects by downregulating CYP24A1, upregulating VDR and targeting Eag1. This study provides insight into the molecular mechanisms involved in astemizole-calcitriol combined antineoplastic effect, offering scientific support to test both compounds in combination in further preclinical and clinical studies of neoplasms expressing VDR and Eag1. VDR-negative tumors might also be sensitized to calcitriol antineoplastic effects by the use of astemizole

Phosphoproteomic Assessment of Therapeutic Kinases for Personalized Therapy in Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer

Science.gov (United States)

2016-10-01

including bladder cancer and squamous cell carcinoma (22–24). Constitutive activation of the Notch receptors through gene rearrangements or mutations leads to...Babic I, Wei X, Huang J, Witte ON (2011) Invasive prostate carcinoma driven by c-Src and androgen receptor synergy. Cancer Res 71(3):862–872. 20. Dai B...prostate cancer cells. Cancer Res 70(13):5587–5596. 21. Guo Z, et al. (2006) Regulation of androgen receptor activity by tyrosine phosphor- ylation. Cancer

The Chances of Subsequent Cancer Detection in Patients with a PSA > 20 ng/ml and an Initial Negative Biopsy

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Nadeem Shaida

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Transrectal ultrasound (TRUS–guided prostate biopsy is known to carry a significant false-negative rate, leading some patients to have multiple biopsies. We investigated cancer detection rates in patients with a PSA >20 ng/ml and a negative initial biopsy. We reviewed our database of 2396 TRUS-guided biopsies done between 1997 and 2002 in order to give a follow-up of at least 6 years. PSA, PSA density (PSAD, PSA velocity (PSAV, prostate volume, and DRE findings were analysed in relation to cancer status. Of the patients, 388 (16% had a PSA >20 ng/ml, including 99 (26% with benign biopsies. Of those, 67 were rebiopsied, including 19 (28% with cancer on the first rebiopsy and four (6% on further biopsies. PSAD, DRE, and volume significantly differed between rebiopsied patients with and without cancer (p 20 ng/ml and have an initial negative biopsy have a high chance of malignancy being detected on a second biopsy. However, if a second biopsy is also negative, then the chances of subsequent biopsies showing signs of cancer are very low if the DRE is normal and particularly if the PSAD is >0.35 ng/ml/cm3.

Preparedness of general practitioners in Australia for the Sydney 2000 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Science.gov (United States)

Leggat, Peter A; Seelan, S Thava

2002-01-01

The modern Olympic Games have been conducted only once every 4 years since 1900. They were held in Sydney, Australia, from September 15 to October 1, 2000, with approximately 35 competition venues, 5 villages, 100 training venues, a media center, and sponsor hospitality areas. Roughly 300 events for 28 sports involved 10,300 athletes from 200 countries, 5,100 team officials, 50,000 volunteers, 15,000 media, a worldwide audience of around 3.5 billion viewers and listeners, and up to several hundred thousand spectators at any one time. The Paralympic Games were also held in Sydney after the Olympic Games, from October 18 to October 29, 2000, with more than 4,000 athletes competing. A report detailing possible health advice and requirements for travelers attending the games has been published previously. Good systems of public and private health care operate in Australia, but health care is not free. Australian taxpayers contribute to a national public health system, Medicare, and even this does not necessarily cover all the costs of treatment. Section 3.5 of the Medicare Benefit Scheme refers to "Reciprocal Health Care Agreements," which exist for immediately necessary medical care ("emergency care"). Agreements with Australia cover New Zealand, United Kingdom, Netherlands, Sweden, Finland, Italy, Malta, and Ireland. Benefits for Italy and Malta may only be available for the first 6 months of a stay. The Australian government covered much of the costs of medical treatment for most team members competing or involved in the Olympic and Paralympic Games, when the Games Village was open. This did not however extend to other visitors, and public hospitals in Australia are not generally geared and staffed to provide timely general practice services.

Discovery of 2',4'-dimethoxychalcone as a Hsp90 inhibitor and its effect on iressa-resistant non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Science.gov (United States)

Seo, Young Ho

2015-10-01

Heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90) is a ATP dependent molecular chaperone and has emerged as an attractive therapeutic target in the war on cancer due to its role in regulating maturation and stabilization of numerous oncogenic proteins. In this study, we discovered that 2',4'-dimethoxychalcone (1b) disrupted Hsp90 chaperoning function and inhibited the growth of iressa-resistant non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC, H1975). The result suggested that 2',4'-dimethoxychalcone (1b) could serve as a potential therapeutic lead to circumvent the drug resistance acquired by EGFR mutation and Met amplification.

The Influence of Flooding Risk on Infrastructure Development in Western Sydney

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Alan Jeary

2012-11-01

Full Text Available Data relating to flood events in the west Sydney area of Windsor, have been re-analysed using extreme value statistics, and the analysis has shown that the risk of occurrence of the probable maximum flood is greater than previously assumed using conventional statistical methods.The response of the New South Wales Government to the perceived risk is discussed and the efficacy of their strategy of relying on passing information to local residents has been tested by the use of a survey of residents of the area.The survey of Windsor residents showed that a significant percentage of the population had no knowledge of the flood risk. Of the rest of the population there was little or no knowledge of the effects that a severe flood might have, and there was little appreciation of the yearly risk of floods that would affect the town. Overall, it was concluded that the main mitigation strategy of government has been ineffective.

Histologic Evaluation of Gastric Biopsies According to Sydney Classification and Comparison of Chronic Gastritis Mucosal Histological Findings by Age Group

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Nesrin Ugras

2012-09-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study is to evaluate the materials of gastric biopsies in cases diagnosed as chronic gastritis according to the Sydney system and to compare the parameters according to age groups. The Sydney system of gastritis has five main histological features of changes in gastric mucosa graded (chronic inflammation, neutrophil activity, glandular atrophy, intestinal metaplasia and Helicobacter pylori density In our study, we evaluated 63 patients under 31 years, 177 patients between the ages of 31-60 and 187 patients over 61 years, who were diagnosed as having chronic gastritis by endoscopic biopsy. In 31-60 age group, the localization of Helicobacter pylori was often the antrum. In contrast, in the under 31 years of age group, Helicobacter pylori infection were found to be in the form of the distribution pangastrit. Acute inflammation in the under31 years group was found to be significantly higher than other age groups. In over 61years group, high incidence of atrophy was found. In our study, we detected the rate in atrophy and intestinal metaplasia with Helicobacter pylori is independently increased with age. [J Contemp Med 2012; 2(3.000: 173-178

Assessment of Fundamental Movement Skills in Childhood Cancer Patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Naumann, Fiona L; Hunt, Mitchell; Hunt, Mitchel; Ali, Dulfikar; Wakefield, Claire E; Moultrie, Kevin; Cohn, Richard J

2015-12-01

The improved treatment protocols and subsequent improved survival rates among childhood cancer patients have shifted the focus toward the long-term consequences arising from cancer treatment. Children who have completed cancer treatment are at a greater risk of delayed development, diminished functioning, disability, compromised fundamental movement skill (FMS) attainment, and long-term chronic health conditions. The aim of the study was to compare FMS of childhood cancer patients with an aged matched healthy reference group. Pediatric cancer patients aged 5-8 years (n = 26; median age 6.91 years), who completed cancer treatment (<5 years) at the Sydney Children's Hospital, were assessed performing seven key FMS: sprint, side gallop, vertical jump, catch, over-arm throw, kick, and leap. Results were compared to the reference group (n = 430; 6.56 years). Childhood cancer patients scored significantly lower on three out of seven FMS tests when compared to the reference group. These results equated to a significantly lower overall score for FMS. This study highlighted the significant deficits in FMS within pediatric patients having completed cancer treatment. In order to reduce the occurrence of significant FMS deficits in this population, FMS interventions may be warranted to assist in recovery from childhood cancer, prevent late effects, and improve the quality of life in survivors of childhood cancer. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The exposure of Sydney (Australia) to earthquake-generated tsunamis, storms and sea level rise: a probabilistic multi-hazard approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Dall'Osso, F; Dominey-Howes, D; Moore, C; Summerhayes, S; Withycombe, G

2014-12-10

Approximately 85% of Australia's population live along the coastal fringe, an area with high exposure to extreme inundations such as tsunamis. However, to date, no Probabilistic Tsunami Hazard Assessments (PTHA) that include inundation have been published for Australia. This limits the development of appropriate risk reduction measures by decision and policy makers. We describe our PTHA undertaken for the Sydney metropolitan area. Using the NOAA NCTR model MOST (Method for Splitting Tsunamis), we simulate 36 earthquake-generated tsunamis with annual probabilities of 1:100, 1:1,000 and 1:10,000, occurring under present and future predicted sea level conditions. For each tsunami scenario we generate a high-resolution inundation map of the maximum water level and flow velocity, and we calculate the exposure of buildings and critical infrastructure. Results indicate that exposure to earthquake-generated tsunamis is relatively low for present events, but increases significantly with higher sea level conditions. The probabilistic approach allowed us to undertake a comparison with an existing storm surge hazard assessment. Interestingly, the exposure to all the simulated tsunamis is significantly lower than that for the 1:100 storm surge scenarios, under the same initial sea level conditions. The results have significant implications for multi-risk and emergency management in Sydney.

The mismatch of bioaccumulated trace metals (Cu, Pb and Zn) in field and transplanted oysters (Saccostrea glomerata) to ambient surficial sediments and suspended particulate matter in a highly urbanised estuary (Sydney estuary, Australia).

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Jung-Ho; Birch, Gavin F

2016-04-01

A significant correlation between sedimentary metals, particularly the 'bio-available' fraction, and bioaccumulated metal concentrations in the native Sydney rock oyster (Saccostrea glomerata) tissues has been successfully demonstrated previously for Cu and Zn in a number of estuaries in New South Wales, Australia. However, this relationship has been difficult to establish in a highly modified estuary (Sydney estuary, Australia) where metal contamination is of greatest concern and where a significant relationship would be most useful for environmental monitoring. The use of the Sydney rock oyster as a biomonitoring tool for metal contamination was assessed in the present study by investigating relationships between metals attached to sediments and suspended particulate matter (SPM) to bioaccumulated concentrations in oyster tissues. Surficial sediments (both total and fine-fraction), SPM and wild oysters were collected over 3 years from three embayments (Chowder Bay, Mosman Bay and Iron Cove) with each embayment representing a different physiographic region of Sydney estuary. In addition, a transplant experiment of farmed oysters was conducted in the same embayments for 3 months. No relationship was observed between sediments or SPM metals (Cu, Pb and Zn) to tissue of wild oysters; however, significant relationship was observed against transplanted oysters. The mismatch between wild and farmed, transplanted oysters is perplexing and indicates that wild oysters are unsuitable to be used as a biomonitoring tool due to the involvement of unknown complex factors while transplanted oysters hold strong potential.

Incidence of second solid cancer in patients after treatment of Hodgkin's disease

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Glanzmann, C.; Veraguth, A.; Luetolf, U.M.

1994-01-01

340 patients had curative treatment with mantle or paraaortic and pelvic radiotherapy (1964 to 1972) or mantle plus paraaortic and spleen or splenic pedicle or total nodal radiotherapy with or without chemotherapy (1973 to 1992). Since 1987, after chemotherapy only modified involved fields were irradiated. All seconds tumors have been histologically verified. The cumulative incidence of second solid cancer of the patients have been compared with the age and sex specific expected rates according to the ''Zuercher Krebsregister 1980 to 1990''. We observed seven patients with leucemia after radiotherapy plus chemotherapy, five patients with non-Hodgkin-lymphoma and 21 patients with solid cancers after radiotherapy or radiotherapy and chemotherapy with a cumulative risk of all second malignancies of 7,0% (ten years), 30.7% (20 years) and 40,5% (24 years). Cumulative risk of second solid cancer was 3,1% (ten years), 9,3% (15 years), 23,5% (20 years) and 34,3% (24 years). Cumulative risk of second solid cancer was significantly higher than expected with no decrease of the relative risk after more than 20 years of follow-up. We observed a significantly higher risk of breast cancer in women less than 30 years of age at treatment. Relative risk of second solid cancer was higher after radiotherapy plus chemotherapy compared to radiotherapy alone, but the difference was not statistically significant. Nearly all patients with radiotherapy plus chemotherapy and a follow-up of ten years or more had radiotherapy with large fields. (orig./MG) [de

A microbial spoilage profile of half shell Pacific oysters (Crassostrea gigas) and Sydney rock oysters (Saccostrea glomerata).

Science.gov (United States)

Madigan, Thomas L; Bott, Nathan J; Torok, Valeria A; Percy, Nigel J; Carragher, John F; de Barros Lopes, Miguel A; Kiermeier, Andreas

2014-04-01

This study aimed to assess bacterial spoilage of half shell Pacific and Sydney rock oysters during storage using microbial culture and 16S rRNA pyrosequencing. Odour and pH of oyster meats were also investigated. Estimation of microbiological counts by microbial culture highlighted growth of psychrotrophic bacteria. During storage, odour scores (a score describing deterioration of fresh odours where a score of 1 is fresh and 4 is completely spoiled) increased from 1.0 to 3.0 for Pacific oysters and from 1.3 to 3.4 for Sydney rock oysters. pH results obtained for both species fluctuated during storage (range 6.28-6.73) with an overall increase at end of storage. Pyrosequencing revealed that the majority of bacteria at Day 0 represented taxa from amongst the Proteobacteria, Tenericutes and Spirochaetes that have not been cultured and systematically described. During storage, Proteobacteria became abundant with Pseudoalteromonas and Vibrio found to be dominant in both oyster species at Day 7. Analysis of the pyrosequencing data showed significant differences in bacterial profiles between oyster species and storage time (both P = 0.001). As oysters spoiled, bacterial profiles between oyster species became more similar indicating a common spoilage profile. Data presented here provides detailed insight into the changing bacterial profile of shucked oysters during storage and has identified two genera, Pseudoalteromonas and Vibrio, as being important in spoilage of shucked oysters. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cancer Incidence and Mortality in a Cohort of US Blood Donors: A 20-Year Study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vahidnia, F.; Busch, M. P.; Custer, B.; Hirschler, N. V.; Chinn, A.; Agapova, M.; Busch, M. P.; Custer, B.

2013-01-01

Blood donors are considered one of the healthiest populations. This study describes the epidemiology of cancer in a cohort of blood donors up to 20 years after blood donation. Records from donors who participated in the Retroviral Epidemiology Donor Study (REDS, 1991-2002) at Blood Centers of the Pacific (BCP), San Francisco, were linked to the California Cancer Registry (CCR, 1991-2010). Standardized incidence ratios (SIR) were estimated using standard US 2000 population, and survival analysis used to compare all-cause mortality among donors and a random sample of non donors with cancer from CCR. Of 55,158 eligible allogeneic blood donors followed-up for 863,902 person-years, 4,236 (7.7%) primary malignant cancers were diagnosed. SIR in donors was 1.59 (95% CI = 1.54,1.64). Donors had significantly lower mortality (adjusted HR = 0.70, 95% CI = 0.66-0.74) compared with non donor cancer patients, except for respiratory system cancers (adjusted HR = 0.93, 95% CI = 0.82-1.05). Elevated cancer incidence among blood donors may reflect higher diagnosis rates due to health seeking behavior and cancer screening in donors. A “healthy donor effect” on mortality following cancer diagnosis was demonstrated. This population-based database and sample repository of blood donors with long-term monitoring of cancer incidence provides the opportunity for future analyses of genetic and other bio markers of cancer

Retrospective Analysis of Patient Presentations at the Sydney (Australia) Royal Easter Show from 2012 to 2014.

Science.gov (United States)

Crabtree, Nathan; Mo, Shirley; Ong, Leon; Jegathees, Thuvarahan; Wei, Daniel; Fahey, David; Liu, Jia Jenny

2017-04-01

Introduction Comprehensive studies on the relationship between patient demographics and subsequent treatment and disposition at a single mass-gathering event are lacking. The Sydney Royal Easter Show (SRES; Sydney Olympic Park, New South Wales, Australia) is an annual, 14-day, agricultural mass-gathering event occurring around the Easter weekend, attracting more than 800,000 patrons per year. In this study, patient records from the SRES were analyzed to examine relationships between weather, crowd size, day of week, and demographics on treatment and disposition. This information would help to predict factors affecting patient treatment and disposition to guide ongoing training of first responders and to evaluate the appropriateness of staffing skills mix at future events. Hypothesis Patient demographics, environmental factors, and attendance would influence the nature and severity of presentations at the SRES, which would influence staffing requirements. A retrospective analysis of 4,141 patient record forms was performed for patients who presented to St John Ambulance (Australian Capital Territory, Australia) at the SRES between 2012 and 2014 inclusive. Presentation type was classified using a previously published minimum data set. Data on weather and crowd size were obtained from the Australian Bureau of Meteorology (Melbourne, Victoria, Australia) and the SRES, respectively. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS v22 (IBM; Armonk, New York USA). Between 2012 to 2014, over 2.5 million people attended the SRES with 4,141 patients treated onsite. As expected, the majority of presentations were injuries (49%) and illnesses (46%). Although patient demographics and presentation types did not change over time, the duration of treatment increased. A higher proportion of patients were discharged to hospital or home compared to the proportion of patients discharged back to the event. Patients from rural/regional locations (accounting for 15% of all patients) were

The Novel C24D Synthetic Polypeptide Inhibits Binding of Placenta Immunosuppressive Ferritin to Human T Cells and Elicits Anti–Breast Cancer Immunity In Vitro and In Vivo

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Inna Solodeev

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Immune tolerance mechanisms supporting normal human pregnancy are exploited by breast cancer and other malignancies. We cloned from human placenta and breast cancer cells the novel human immunomodulator named placenta immunosuppressive ferritin (PLIF. PLIF is composed of a ferritin heavy chain–like domain and a novel cytokine-like domain, named C48. Both intact PLIF and C48 inhibit T cell proliferation. Blocking PLIF by specific antibodies in a tolerant breast cancer model in nude mice resulted in tumor cell apoptosis and rejection. This prompted us to study active immune preventive strategies targeting PLIF activity. Currently, we report on the design and synthesis of the novel C24D polypeptide, which inhibits the binding of PLIF to T cells and therefore inhibits the immune suppressive effect of PLIF. The effect of C24D on the generation of anti–breast cancer cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs was studied in vitro in cultures of MCF-7 (HLA-A2+ or T47D (HLA-A2− breast cancer cells incubated with peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs from healthy blood donors. We found that C24D treatment exclusively induced development of CTLs. On reactivation by their specific target cells, the CTLs secreted interferon-γ and induced target apoptosis. Anti–MCF-7 CTLs were cross-cytotoxic to MDA-MB-231 (HLA-A2+ triple-negative breast cancer but not to T47D. Moreover, C24D treatment in vivo inhibited the growth of MCF-7 tumors engrafted in immune-compromised nude mice transfused with naïve allogeneic human PBMCs. Our results demonstrate that C24D treatment breakdown breast cancer induced tolerance enabling the initiation of effective anti-tumor immune response.

The effectiveness of community-based cycling promotion: findings from the Cycling Connecting Communities project in Sydney, Australia

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Merom Dafna

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Encouraging cycling is an important way to increase physical activity in the community. The Cycling Connecting Communities (CCC Project is a community-based cycling promotion program that included a range of community engagement and social marketing activities, such as organised bike rides and events, cycling skills courses, the distribution of cycling maps of the area and coverage in the local press. The aim of the study was to assess the effectiveness of this program designed to encourage the use of newly completed off-road cycle paths through south west Sydney, Australia. Methods The evaluation used a quasi-experimental design that consisted of a pre- and post-intervention telephone survey (24 months apart of a cohort of residents (n = 909 in the intervention area (n = 520 (Fairfield and Liverpool and a socio-demographically similar comparison area (n = 389 (Bankstown. Both areas had similar bicycle infrastructure. Four bicycle counters were placed on the main bicycle paths in the intervention and comparison areas to monitor daily bicycle use before and after the intervention. Results The telephone survey results showed significantly greater awareness of the Cycling Connecting Communities project (13.5% vs 8.0%, p Conclusion Despite relatively modest resources, the Cycling Connecting Communities project achieved significant increases in bicycle path use, and increased cycling in some sub-groups. However, this community based intervention with limited funding had very limited reach into the community and did not increase population cycling levels.

Cytotoxicity Enhancement in Breast Cancer Cells with Carbonate Apatite-Facilitated Intracellular Delivery of Anti-Cancer Drugs

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Fatemian, Tahereh; Chowdhury, Ezharul Hoque

2018-01-01

Pharmacotherapy as the mainstay in the management of breast cancer has demonstrated various drawbacks, including non-targeted bio distribution and narrow therapeutic and safety windows. Thus, enhancements in pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic profiles of the classical anti-cancer drugs could lead to improved efficacy against cancer cells. Therefore, inorganic pH-dependent carbonate apatite (CA) nanoparticles were utilized to efficiently deliver various drugs into cancer cells. Following characterization and various modifications in the structure of CA complexes with different drugs, lifted outcomes were achieved. Markedly, complexing paclitaxel with CA resulted in 20.71 ± 4.34% loading efficiency together with 24.14 ± 2.21% enhancement in cytotoxicity on MCF-7 cells plus superior in vivo anti-tumour efficacy compared to free paclitaxel. PMID:29401738

Cytotoxicity Enhancement in Breast Cancer Cells with Carbonate Apatite-Facilitated Intracellular Delivery of Anti-Cancer Drugs

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Tahereh Fatemian

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Pharmacotherapy as the mainstay in the management of breast cancer has demonstrated various drawbacks, including non-targeted bio distribution and narrow therapeutic and safety windows. Thus, enhancements in pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic profiles of the classical anti-cancer drugs could lead to improved efficacy against cancer cells. Therefore, inorganic pH-dependent carbonate apatite (CA nanoparticles were utilized to efficiently deliver various drugs into cancer cells. Following characterization and various modifications in the structure of CA complexes with different drugs, lifted outcomes were achieved. Markedly, complexing paclitaxel with CA resulted in 20.71 ± 4.34% loading efficiency together with 24.14 ± 2.21% enhancement in cytotoxicity on MCF-7 cells plus superior in vivo anti-tumour efficacy compared to free paclitaxel.

Melanoma differentiation associated gene-7/interleukin-24 (mda-7/IL-24): Novel gene therapeutic for metastatic melanoma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fisher, Paul B.; Sarkar, Devanand; Lebedeva, Irina V.; Emdad, Luni; Gupta, Pankaj; Sauane, Moira; Su Zaozhong; Grant, Steven; Dent, Paul; Curiel, David T.; Senzer, Neil; Nemunaitis, John

2007-01-01

A potentially less toxic approach for cancer therapy comprises induction of tumor cells to lose growth potential irreversibly and terminally differentiate. Combining this scheme termed 'differentiation therapy of cancer' with subtraction hybridization to human melanoma cells resulted in the cloning of melanoma differentiation associated (mda) genes displaying elevated expression as a consequence of induction of terminal differentiation. One originally novel gene, mda-7, was found to display elevated expression in normal melanocytes and nevi with progressive loss of expression as a consequence of melanoma development and progression to metastasis. Based on structure, biochemical properties and chromosomal location, mda-7 has now been reclassified as interleukin (IL)-24, a member of the expanding IL-10 family of cytokines. In vitro cell culture and in vivo animal studies indicate that mda-7/IL-24 selectively induces programmed cell death (apoptosis) in multiple human cancers (including melanomas), without harming normal cells, and promotes profound anti-tumor activity in nude mice containing human tumor xenografts. Based on these remarkable properties, a Phase I clinical trial was conducted to test the safety of administration of mda-7/IL-24 by a replication incompetent adenovirus (Ad.mda-7; INGN 241) in patients with advanced solid cancers including melanoma. mda-7/IL-24 was found to be safe and to promote significant clinical activity, particularly in the context of patients with metastatic melanoma. These results provide an impetus for further clinical studies and document a central paradigm of cancer therapy, namely translation of basic science from the 'bench to the bedside.'

Obesity exacerbates colitis-associated cancer via IL-6-regulated macrophage polarisation and CCL-20/CCR-6-mediated lymphocyte recruitment.

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Wunderlich, Claudia M; Ackermann, P Justus; Ostermann, Anna Lena; Adams-Quack, Petra; Vogt, Merly C; Tran, My-Ly; Nikolajev, Alexei; Waisman, Ari; Garbers, Christoph; Theurich, Sebastian; Mauer, Jan; Hövelmeyer, Nadine; Wunderlich, F Thomas

2018-04-25

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most lethal cancers worldwide in which the vast majority of cases exhibit little genetic risk but are associated with a sedentary lifestyle and obesity. Although the mechanisms underlying CRC and colitis-associated colorectal cancer (CAC) remain unclear, we hypothesised that obesity-induced inflammation predisposes to CAC development. Here, we show that diet-induced obesity accelerates chemically-induced CAC in mice via increased inflammation and immune cell recruitment. Obesity-induced interleukin-6 (IL-6) shifts macrophage polarisation towards tumour-promoting macrophages that produce the chemokine CC-chemokine-ligand-20 (CCL-20) in the CAC microenvironment. CCL-20 promotes CAC progression by recruiting CC-chemokine-receptor-6 (CCR-6)-expressing B cells and γδ T cells via chemotaxis. Compromised cell recruitment as well as inhibition of B and γδ T cells protects against CAC progression. Collectively, our data reveal a function for IL-6 in the CAC microenvironment via lymphocyte recruitment through the CCL-20/CCR-6 axis, thereby implicating a potential therapeutic intervention for human patients.

Synthesis of 2',4-dihydroxy-3-methoxychalcone and 2',4',4-trihydroxy-3-methoxychalcone as a candidate anticancer against cervical (WiDr), colon (HeLa), and breast (T47d) cancer cell lines in vitro

Science.gov (United States)

Matsjeh, Sabirin; Swasono, Respati Tri; Anwar, Chairil; Solikhah, Eti Nurwening; Lestari, Endang

2017-03-01

The compound 2',4-dihydroxy-3-methoxychalcone and 2',4',4-trihydroxy-3-methoxychalcone have been synthesized through Claisen-Schmidt reaction from 2-hydroxyacetophenone and 2,4-dihydroxyacetophenone with 4-hydroxy-3-methoxy benzaldehida (vanillin) in aqueous KOH 40% and KSF montmorillonite as catalyst in methanol. All these products were characterized by FT-IR, TLC Scanner, GC-MS, MS-Direct, and 1H-NMR and 13C-NMR spectrometer. Both of these compounds were tested citotoxycity activity as an anticancer against cervical, colon, and breast cancer cells (Hela, WiDr, and T47D cell lines) using MTT assay in vitro. Dose series given test solution concentration on Hela, WiDr, and T47D cells started from 6,25; 25; 50 and 100 µg/mL with incubation treatment for 24 hours. The result of study showed that the 2',4-dihydroxy-3-methoxychalcone as bright yellow crystal with the melting point of 114-115 °C and the yield of 13.77% and the 2',4',4-trihydroxy-3-methoxychalcone as bright yellow crystals with the melting point of 195-197 °C and the yield of 6%. Other 2',4-dihydroxy-3-methoxychalcone and 2',4',4-trihydroxy-3-methoxychalcone also exhibited cytotoxic activity against the cancer cell lines, with the 2',4',4-trihydroxy-3-methoxychalcone showed greater activities than the 2',4-dihydroxy-3-methoxychalcone in WiDr cell lines. The 2',4-dihydroxy-3-methoxychalcone and 2',4',4-trihydroxy-3-methoxychalcone exhibited strong anticancer activities with IC50 value below 20 µg/mL. The activity of 2',4',4-trihydroxy-3-methoxychalcone showed the most active against Hela and WiDr cell lines with IC50 value 8.53 and 2.66 µg/mL respectively, than T47D cell lines with IC50 value 24.61 µg/mL. The test results cytotoxic of 2',4-dihydroxy-3-methoxychalcone showed the most active against Hela and WiDr cell lines with IC50 value 12.80, 19.57 µg/mL than T47D cell lines with IC50 value of 20.73 µg/mL. IC50 value indicated that 2',4-dihydroxy-3-methoxychalcone and 2',4',4-trihydroxy-3

The 15q24/25 Susceptibility Variant for Lung Cancer and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Is Associated with Emphysema

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Lambrechts, Diether; Buysschaert, Ian; Zanen, Pieter; Coolen, Johan; Lays, Natacha; Cuppens, Harry; Groen, Harry J. M.; Dewever, Walter; van Klaveren, Rob J.; Verschakelen, Johny; Wijmenga, Cisca; Postma, Dirkje S.; Decramer, Marc; Janssens, Wim

2010-01-01

Rationale: Genome-wide association studies have identified genetic variants in the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) on chromosome 15q24/25 as a risk for nicotine dependence, lung cancer, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Assessment of bronchial obstruction by spirometry,

Repeat prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test before prostate biopsy: a 20% decrease in PSA values is associated with a reduced risk of cancer and particularly of high-grade cancer.

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De Nunzio, Cosimo; Lombardo, Riccardo; Nacchia, Antonio; Tema, Giorgia; Tubaro, Andrea

2018-07-01

To analyse the impact of repeating a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level assessment on prostate biopsy decision in a cohort of men undergoing prostate biopsy. From 2015 onwards, we consecutively enrolled, at a single institution in Italy, men undergoing 12-core transrectal ultrasonography-guided prostate needle biopsy. Indication for prostate biopsy was a PSA level of ≥4 ng/mL. Demographic, clinical, and histopathological data were collected. The PSA level was tested at enrolment (PSA 1 ) and 4 weeks later on the day before biopsy (PSA 2 ). Variations in PSA level were defined as: stable PSA 2 within a 10% variation, stable PSA 2 within a 20% variation, PSA 2 decreased by ≥10%, PSA 2 decreased by ≥20%, PSA 2 increased by ≥10%, PSA 2 increased by ≥20%, and PSA 2 PSA within 20% variation had a higher risk of prostate cancer (odds ratio [OR] 1.80, P PSA2 decreased by ≥20% had a lower risk of prostate cancer (OR 0.37, P PSA2 increased by ≥10% had an increased risk of high-grade prostate cancer (OR 1.93, P PSA returned to normal values (PSA levels significantly reduced the risk of high-grade prostate cancer. Further multicentre studies should validate our present results. © 2018 The Authors BJU International © 2018 BJU International Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Socioeconomic patterning in the incidence and survival of teenage and young adult men aged between 15 and 24 years diagnosed with non-seminoma testicular cancer in northern england.

Science.gov (United States)

McNally, Richard J Q; Basta, Nermine O; Errington, Steven; James, Peter W; Norman, Paul D; Hale, Juliet P; Pearce, Mark S

2015-12-01

Previous research from developed countries has shown a marked increase in the incidence of testicular cancer in the past 50 years. This has also been demonstrated in northern England, along with improving 5-year survival. The present study aims to determine if socioeconomic factors may play a role in both etiology and survival from non-seminoma testicular cancer. We extracted all 214 cases of non-seminoma testicular cancer diagnosed in teenage and young adult men aged between 15 and 24 years during 1968 to 2006 from the Northern Region Young Persons' Malignant Disease Registry, which is a population-based specialist regional registry. Negative binomial regression was used to examine the relationship between incidence and both the Townsend deprivation score (and component variables) and small-area population density. Cox regression was used to analyze the relationship between survival and both deprivation and population density. Decreased incidence was associated with living in areas of higher household overcrowding for young adults aged between 20 and 24 years (relative risk per 1% increase in household overcrowding = 0.79; 95% CI: 0.66-0.94) but no association was detected for young people aged between 15 and 19 years. Community-level household unemployment was associated with worse survival (hazard ratio per 1% increase in household unemployment = 1.04; 95% CI: 1.00-1.08). This study has shown that increased risk of non-seminoma testicular cancer in teenage and young adult men may be associated with some aspect of more advantaged living. In contrast, greater deprivation is linked with worse survival prospects. The study was ecological by design and so these area-based results may not necessarily apply to individuals. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Assessment of family psychosocial functioning in survivors of pediatric cancer using the PAT2.0.

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Gilleland, Jordan; Reed-Knight, Bonney; Brand, Sarah; Griffin, Anya; Wasilewski-Masker, Karen; Meacham, Lillian; Mertens, Ann

2013-09-01

This study aimed to examine clinical validity and utility of a screening measure for familial psychosocial risk, the Psychosocial Assessment Tool 2.0 (PAT2.0), among pediatric cancer survivors participating in long-term survivorship care. Caregivers (N=79) completed the PAT2.0 during their child's survivorship appointment. Caregivers also reported on family engagement in outpatient mental health treatment. Medical records were reviewed for treatment history and oncology provider initiated psychology consults. The internal consistency of the PAT2.0 total score in this survivorship sample was strong. Psychology was consulted by the oncology provider to see 53% of participant families, and families seen by psychology had significantly higher PAT2.0 total scores than families without psychology consults. PAT2.0 total scores and corresponding subscales were higher for patients, parents, and siblings enrolled in outpatient mental health services since treatment completion. Results were consistent with psychosocial risk categories presented within the Pediatric Psychosocial Preventative Health Model. Fifty-one percent of families presenting for survivorship care scored in the "universal" category, 34% scored in the "targeted" category, and 15% scored in the "clinical" category. Data indicate that the overall proportions of families experiencing "universal", "targeted", and "clinical" levels of familial distress may be constant from the time of diagnosis into survivorship care. Overall, the PAT2.0 demonstrated strong psychometric properties among survivors of pediatric cancer and shows promise as a psychosocial screening measure to facilitate more effective family support in survivorship care. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Cancer Incidence and Mortality in a Cohort of US Blood Donors: A 20-Year Study

Science.gov (United States)

Hirschler, Nora V.; Chinn, Artina; Busch, Michael P.; Custer, Brian

2013-01-01

Blood donors are considered one of the healthiest populations. This study describes the epidemiology of cancer in a cohort of blood donors up to 20 years after blood donation. Records from donors who participated in the Retroviral Epidemiology Donor Study (REDS, 1991–2002) at Blood Centers of the Pacific (BCP), San Francisco, were linked to the California Cancer Registry (CCR, 1991–2010). Standardized incidence ratios (SIR) were estimated using standard US 2000 population, and survival analysis used to compare all-cause mortality among donors and a random sample of nondonors with cancer from CCR. Of 55,158 eligible allogeneic blood donors followed-up for 863,902 person-years, 4,236 (7.7%) primary malignant cancers were diagnosed. SIR in donors was 1.59 (95% CI = 1.54,1.64). Donors had significantly lower mortality (adjusted HR = 0.70, 95% CI = 0.66–0.74) compared with nondonor cancer patients, except for respiratory system cancers (adjusted HR = 0.93, 95% CI = 0.82–1.05). Elevated cancer incidence among blood donors may reflect higher diagnosis rates due to health seeking behavior and cancer screening in donors. A “healthy donor effect” on mortality following cancer diagnosis was demonstrated. This population-based database and sample repository of blood donors with long-term monitoring of cancer incidence provides the opportunity for future analyses of genetic and other biomarkers of cancer. PMID:24489545

Cancer Incidence and Mortality in a Cohort of US Blood Donors: A 20-Year Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Farnaz Vahidnia

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Blood donors are considered one of the healthiest populations. This study describes the epidemiology of cancer in a cohort of blood donors up to 20 years after blood donation. Records from donors who participated in the Retroviral Epidemiology Donor Study (REDS, 1991–2002 at Blood Centers of the Pacific (BCP, San Francisco, were linked to the California Cancer Registry (CCR, 1991–2010. Standardized incidence ratios (SIR were estimated using standard US 2000 population, and survival analysis used to compare all-cause mortality among donors and a random sample of nondonors with cancer from CCR. Of 55,158 eligible allogeneic blood donors followed-up for 863,902 person-years, 4,236 (7.7% primary malignant cancers were diagnosed. SIR in donors was 1.59 (95% CI = 1.54,1.64. Donors had significantly lower mortality (adjusted HR = 0.70, 95% CI = 0.66–0.74 compared with nondonor cancer patients, except for respiratory system cancers (adjusted HR = 0.93, 95% CI = 0.82–1.05. Elevated cancer incidence among blood donors may reflect higher diagnosis rates due to health seeking behavior and cancer screening in donors. A “healthy donor effect” on mortality following cancer diagnosis was demonstrated. This population-based database and sample repository of blood donors with long-term monitoring of cancer incidence provides the opportunity for future analyses of genetic and other biomarkers of cancer.

Travel mode and physical activity at Sydney University.

Science.gov (United States)

Rissel, Chris; Mulley, Corinne; Ding, Ding

2013-08-09

How staff and students travel to university can impact their physical activity level. An online survey of physical activity and travel behaviour was conducted in early November 2012 to inform planning of physical activity and active travel promotion programs at the University of Sydney, Australia as part of the "Sit Less, Move More" sub-committee of the Healthy University Initiative, and as baseline data for evaluation. There were 3,737 useable responses, 60% of which were from students. Four out of five respondents travelled to the University on the day of interest (Tuesday, November 30, 2012). The most frequently used travel modes were train (32%), car as driver (22%), bus (17%), walking (17%) and cycling (6%). Staff were twice as likely to drive as students, and also slightly more likely to use active transport, defined as walking and cycling (26% versus 22%). Overall, 41% of respondents were sufficiently active (defined by meeting physical activity recommendations of 150 min per week). Participants were more likely to meet physical activity recommendations if they travelled actively to the University. With a high proportion of respondents using active travel modes or public transport already, increasing the physical activity levels and increasing the use of sustainable travel modes would mean a mode shift from public transport to walking and cycling for students is needed and a mode shift from driving to public transport or active travel for University staff. Strategies to achieve this are discussed.

Acquiring surgical skills: the history of surgical teaching at the University of Sydney 1883-2014.

Science.gov (United States)

Brown, Kilian G M; Storey, Catherine E

2016-06-01

There have been at least 10 major revisions of the medical curriculum since the inauguration of the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Sydney in 1883. This study traced the evolution of the teaching of surgery at our institution by examination of the set curriculum of each period; the expectations of student knowledge in the final examination as well as examining some of the insights provided by past students of their surgical experience through their writings. In the early years, medical graduates were qualified to perform operative surgery without any further training, whereas the modern postgraduate medical curriculum provides students with the basis for further surgical training. © 2016 Royal Australasian College of Surgeons.

Prevalence of BRCA1 mutations in familial and sporadic greek ovarian cancer cases.

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Alexandra V Stavropoulou

Full Text Available Germline mutations in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes contribute to approximately 18% of hereditary ovarian cancers conferring an estimated lifetime risk from 15% to 50%. A variable incidence of mutations has been reported for these genes in ovarian cancer cases from different populations. In Greece, six mutations in BRCA1 account for 63% of all mutations detected in both BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of BRCA1 mutations in a Greek cohort of 106 familial ovarian cancer patients that had strong family history or metachronous breast cancer and 592 sporadic ovarian cancer cases. All 698 patients were screened for the six recurrent Greek mutations (including founder mutations c.5266dupC, p.G1738R and the three large deletions of exon 20, exons 23-24 and exon 24. In familial cases, the BRCA1 gene was consequently screened for exons 5, 11, 12, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24. A deleterious BRCA1 mutation was found in 43/106 (40.6% of familial cancer cases and in 27/592 (4.6% of sporadic cases. The variant of unknown clinical significance p.V1833M was identified in 9/698 patients (1.3%. The majority of BRCA1 carriers (71.2% presented a high-grade serous phenotype. Identifying a mutation in the BRCA1 gene among breast and/or ovarian cancer families is important, as it enables carriers to take preventive measures. All ovarian cancer patients with a serous phenotype should be considered for genetic testing. Further studies are warranted to determine the prevalence of mutations in the rest of the BRCA1 gene, in the BRCA2 gene, and other novel predisposing genes for breast and ovarian cancer.

Ganodermanontriol (GDNT) exerts its effect on growth and invasiveness of breast cancer cells through the down-regulation of CDC20 and uPA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jiang, Jiahua; Jedinak, Andrej; Sliva, Daniel

2011-01-01

Highlights: ► Ganodermanontriol (GDNT), a Ganoderma mushroom alcohol, inhibits growth of breast cancer cells. ► CDC20 is over-expressed in tumors but not in the tumor surrounding tissue in breast cancer patients. ► GDNT inhibits expression of CDC20 in breast cancer cells. ► GDNT inhibits cell adhesion, cell migration and cell invasion of breast cancer cells. ► GDNT inhibits secretion of uPA and down-regulates expression of uPAR in breast cancer cells. -- Abstract: Ganoderma lucidum is a medicinal mushroom that has been recognized by Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Although some of the direct anticancer activities are attributed to the presence of triterpenes—ganoderic and lucidenic acids—the activity of other compounds remains elusive. Here we show that ganodermanontriol (GDNT), a Ganoderma alcohol, specifically suppressed proliferation (anchorage-dependent growth) and colony formation (anchorage-independent growth) of highly invasive human breast cancer cells MDA-MB-231. GDNT suppressed expression of the cell cycle regulatory protein CDC20, which is over-expressed in precancerous and breast cancer cells compared to normal mammary epithelial cells. Moreover, we found that CDC20 is over-expressed in tumors when compared to the tissue surrounding the tumor in specimens from breast cancer patients. GDNT also inhibited invasive behavior (cell adhesion, cell migration, and cell invasion) through the suppression of secretion of urokinase-plasminogen activator (uPA) and inhibited expression of uPA receptor. In conclusion, mushroom GDNT is a natural agent that has potential as a therapy for invasive breast cancers.

Ganodermanontriol (GDNT) exerts its effect on growth and invasiveness of breast cancer cells through the down-regulation of CDC20 and uPA

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jiang, Jiahua; Jedinak, Andrej [Cancer Research Laboratory, Methodist Research Institute, Indiana University Health, Indianapolis, IN (United States); Sliva, Daniel, E-mail: dsliva@iuhealth.org [Cancer Research Laboratory, Methodist Research Institute, Indiana University Health, Indianapolis, IN (United States); Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN (United States); Indiana University Simon Cancer Center, School of Medicine, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN (United States)

2011-11-18

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Ganodermanontriol (GDNT), a Ganoderma mushroom alcohol, inhibits growth of breast cancer cells. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer CDC20 is over-expressed in tumors but not in the tumor surrounding tissue in breast cancer patients. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer GDNT inhibits expression of CDC20 in breast cancer cells. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer GDNT inhibits cell adhesion, cell migration and cell invasion of breast cancer cells. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer GDNT inhibits secretion of uPA and down-regulates expression of uPAR in breast cancer cells. -- Abstract: Ganoderma lucidum is a medicinal mushroom that has been recognized by Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Although some of the direct anticancer activities are attributed to the presence of triterpenes-ganoderic and lucidenic acids-the activity of other compounds remains elusive. Here we show that ganodermanontriol (GDNT), a Ganoderma alcohol, specifically suppressed proliferation (anchorage-dependent growth) and colony formation (anchorage-independent growth) of highly invasive human breast cancer cells MDA-MB-231. GDNT suppressed expression of the cell cycle regulatory protein CDC20, which is over-expressed in precancerous and breast cancer cells compared to normal mammary epithelial cells. Moreover, we found that CDC20 is over-expressed in tumors when compared to the tissue surrounding the tumor in specimens from breast cancer patients. GDNT also inhibited invasive behavior (cell adhesion, cell migration, and cell invasion) through the suppression of secretion of urokinase-plasminogen activator (uPA) and inhibited expression of uPA receptor. In conclusion, mushroom GDNT is a natural agent that has potential as a therapy for invasive breast cancers.

Validation of modified forms of the PedsQL generic core scales and cancer module scales for adolescents and young adults (AYA) with cancer or a blood disorder.

Science.gov (United States)

Ewing, Jane E; King, Madeleine T; Smith, Narelle F

2009-03-01

To validate two health-related quality of life (HRQOL) measures, the PedsQL Generic Core and Cancer Module adolescent forms (13-18 years), after modification for 16-25-year-old adolescents and young adults (AYA) with cancer or a blood disorder. AYA patients and nominated proxies were recruited from three Sydney hospitals. Modified forms were administered by telephone or in clinics/wards. Analyses included correlations, factor analysis, and analysis of variance of known-groups (defined by the Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale). Eighty-eight patients and 79 proxies completed questionnaires. Factor structures consistent with those of the unmodified forms confirmed construct validity. Cronbach's alpha ranged 0.81-0.98. Inter-scale correlations were as hypothesized, confirming discriminant validity. Statistically significant differences between groups with mild, moderate, and severe symptoms (P < 0.05) confirmed clinical validity. These modified forms provide reliable and valid measures of HRQOL in AYA with cancer or a blood disorder, suitable for clinical trials, research, and practice.

TRPV2 activation induces apoptotic cell death in human T24 bladder cancer cells: a potential therapeutic target for bladder cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Yamada, Takahiro; Ueda, Takashi; Shibata, Yasuhiro; Ikegami, Yosuke; Saito, Masaki; Ishida, Yusuke; Ugawa, Shinya; Kohri, Kenjiro; Shimada, Shoichi

2010-08-01

To investigate the functional expression of the transient receptor potential vanilloid 2 (TRPV2) channel protein in human urothelial carcinoma (UC) cells and to determine whether calcium influx into UC cells through TRPV2 is involved in apoptotic cell death. The expression of TRPV2 mRNA in bladder cancer cell lines (T24, a poorly differentiated UC cell line and RT4, a well-differentiated UC cell line) was analyzed using reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction. The calcium permeability of TRPV2 channels in T24 cells was investigated using a calcium imaging assay that used cannabidiol (CBD), a relatively selective TRPV2 agonist, and ruthenium red (RuR), a nonselective TRPV channel antagonist. The death of T24 or RT4 cells in the presence of CBD was evaluated using a cellular viability assay. Apoptosis of T24 cells caused by CBD was confirmed using an annexin-V assay and small interfering RNA (siRNA) silencing of TRPV2. TRPV2 mRNA was abundantly expressed in T24 cells. The expression level in UC cells was correlated with high-grade disease. The administration of CBD increased intracellular calcium concentrations in T24 cells. In addition, the viability of T24 cells progressively decreased with increasing concentrations of CBD, whereas RT4 cells were mostly unaffected. Cell death occurred via apoptosis caused by continuous influx of calcium through TRPV2. TRPV2 channels in UC cells are calcium-permeable and the regulation of calcium influx through these channels leads directly to the death of UC cells. TRPV2 channels in UC cells may be a potential new therapeutic target, especially in higher-grade UC cells. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Challenges in converting an interviewer-administered food probe database to self-administration in the National Cancer Institute Automated Self-administered 24-Hour Recall (ASA24).

Science.gov (United States)

Zimmerman, Thea Palmer; Hull, Stephen G; McNutt, Suzanne; Mittl, Beth; Islam, Noemi; Guenther, Patricia M; Thompson, Frances E; Potischman, Nancy A; Subar, Amy F

2009-12-01

The National Cancer Institute (NCI) is developing an automated, self-administered 24-hour dietary recall (ASA24) application to collect and code dietary intake data. The goal of the ASA24 development is to create a web-based dietary interview based on the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Automated Multiple Pass Method (AMPM) instrument currently used in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). The ASA24 food list, detail probes, and portion probes were drawn from the AMPM instrument; portion-size pictures from Baylor College of Medicine's Food Intake Recording Software System (FIRSSt) were added; and the food code/portion code assignments were linked to the USDA Food and Nutrient Database for Dietary Studies (FNDDS). The requirements that the interview be self-administered and fully auto-coded presented several challenges as the AMPM probes and responses were linked with the FNDDS food codes and portion pictures. This linking was accomplished through a "food pathway," or the sequence of steps that leads from a respondent's initial food selection, through the AMPM probes and portion pictures, to the point at which a food code and gram weight portion size are assigned. The ASA24 interview database that accomplishes this contains more than 1,100 food probes and more than 2 million food pathways and will include about 10,000 pictures of individual foods depicting up to 8 portion sizes per food. The ASA24 will make the administration of multiple days of recalls in large-scale studies economical and feasible.

Fine-scale mapping of the 4q24 locus identifies & pr two Independent loci associated with breast cancer risk

NARCIS (Netherlands)

X. Guo (Xingyi); J. Long (Jirong); C. Zeng (Chenjie); K. Michailidou (Kyriaki); M. Ghoussaini (Maya); M.K. Bolla (Manjeet); Q. Wang (Qing); R.L. Milne (Roger L.); X.-O. Shu (Xiao-Ou); Q. Cai (Qiuyin); J. Beesley (Jonathan); S. Kar (Siddhartha); I.L. Andrulis (Irene); H. Anton-Culver (Hoda); V. Arndt (Volker); M.W. Beckmann (Matthias); A. Beeghly-Fadiel (Alicia); J. Benítez (Javier); W.J. Blot (William); N.V. Bogdanova (Natalia); S.E. Bojesen (Stig); H. Brauch (Hiltrud); H. Brenner (Hermann); L.A. Brinton (Louise); A. Broekss (Annegien); T. Brüning (Thomas); B. Burwinkel (Barbara); H. Cai (Hui); S. Canisius (Sander); J. Chang-Claude (Jenny); J.-Y. Choi (J.); F.J. Couch (Fergus); A. Cox (Angela); S.S. Cross (Simon); K. Czene (Kamila); H. Darabi (Hatef); P. Devilee (Peter); A. Droit (Arnaud); T. Dörk (Thilo); P.A. Fasching (Peter); O. Fletcher (Olivia); H. Flyger (Henrik); F. Fostira (Florentia); V. Gaborieau (Valerie); M. García-Closas (Montserrat); G.G. Giles (Graham G.); M. Grip (Mervi); P. Guénel (Pascal); C.A. Haiman (Christopher A.); U. Hamann (Ute); J.M. Hartman (Joost); A. Hollestelle (Antoinette); J.L. Hopper (John L.); C.-N. Hsiung (Chia-Ni); H. Ito (Hidemi); A. Jakubowska (Anna); N. Johnson (Nichola); M. Kabisch (Maria); D. Kang (Daehee); S. Khan (Sofia); J.A. Knight (Julia); V-M. Kosma (Veli-Matti); D. Lambrechts (Diether); L. Le Marchand (Loic); J. Li (Jingmei); A. Lindblom (Annika); A. Lophatananon (Artitaya); J. Lubinski (Jan); A. Mannermaa (Arto); S. Manoukian (Siranoush); S. Margolin (Sara); F. Marme (Federick); K. Matsuo (Keitaro); C.A. McLean (Catriona Ann); A. Meindl (Alfons); K. Muir (Kenneth); S.L. Neuhausen (Susan); H. Nevanlinna (Heli); S. Nord (Silje); J.E. Olson (Janet); N. Orr (Nick); P. Peterlongo (Paolo); T.C. Putti (Thomas Choudary); A. Rudolph (Anja); S. Sangrajrang (Suleeporn); E.J. Sawyer (Elinor); M.K. Schmidt (Marjanka); R.K. Schmutzler (Rita); C-Y. Shen (Chen-Yang); J. Shi (Jiajun); M. Shrubsole (Martha); M.C. Southey (Melissa); A.J. Swerdlow (Anthony ); S.H. Teo (Soo Hwang); B. Thienpont (Bernard); A.E. Toland (Amanda); R.A.E.M. Tollenaar (Rob); I. Tomlinson (Ian); T. Truong (Thérèse); C.-C. Tseng (Chiu-chen); A.M.W. van den Ouweland (Ans); W. Wen (Wanqing); R. Winqvist (Robert); A. Wu (Anna); C.H. Yip (Cheng Har); M.P. Zamora (Pilar); Y. Zheng (Ying); P. Hall (Per); P.D.P. Pharoah (Paul); J. Simard (Jacques); G. Chenevix-Trench (Georgia); A.M. Dunning (Alison); D.F. Easton (Douglas F.); W. Zheng (Wei); R. Eeles (Rosalind); A.A. Al Olama (Ali Amin); Z. Kote-Jarai; S. Benlloch (Sara); A.C. Antoniou (Antonis C.); L. McGuffog (Lesley); K. Offit (Kenneth); A. Lee (Andrew); E. Dicks (Ed); C. Luccarini (Craig); D.C. Tessier (Daniel C.); F. Bacot (Francois); D. Vincent (Daniel); S. La Boissière (Sylvie); F. Robidoux (Frederic); S.F. Nielsen (Sune); J.M. Cunningham (Julie); S.A. Windebank (Sharon A.); C.A. Hilker (Christopher A.); J. Meyer (Jeffrey); M. Angelakos (Maggie); J. Maskiell (Judi); E.J. Rutgers (Emiel J.); S. Verhoef; F.B.L. Hogervorst (Frans); P. Boonyawongviroj (Prat); P. Siriwanarungsan (Pornthep); A. Schrauder (André); M. Rübner (Matthias); S. Oeser (Sonja); S. Landrith (Silke); E. Williams (Eileen); E. Ryder-Mills (Elaine); K. Sargus (Kara); N. McInerney (Niall); G. Colleran (Gabrielle); A. Rowan (Andrew); A. Jones (Angela); C. Sohn (Christof); A. Schneeweiß (Andeas); P. Bugert (Peter); N. Álvarez (Nuria); L. Bernstein (Leslie); J. Lacey (James); S. Wang (Sophia); H. Ma (Huiyan); Y. Lu (Yani); J. Clague De Hart (Jessica); D. Deapen (Dennis); R. Pinder (Rich); E. Lee (Eunjung); F.R. Schumacher (Fredrick); P. Horn-Ross (Pam); P. Reynolds (Peggy); D. Nelson (David); H. Park (Hannah); H. Ziegler (Hartwig); S. Wolf (Sonja); V. Hermann (Volker); W.-Y. Lo (Wing-Yee); C. Justenhoven (Christina); Y.-D. Ko (Yon-Dschun); C. Baisch (Christian); H.-P. Fischer (Hans-Peter); B. Pesch (Beate); S. Rabstein (Sylvia); A. Lotz (Anne); V. Harth (Volker); T. Heikkinen (Tuomas); I. Erkkilä (Irja); K. Aaltonen (Kirsimari); K. von Smitten (Karl); N.N. Antonenkova (Natalia); P. Hillemanns (Peter); H. Christiansen (Hans); E. Myöhänen (Eija); H. Kemiläinen (Helena); H. Thorne (Heather); E. Niedermayr (Eveline); D. Bowtell; G. Chenevix-Trench (Georgia); A. De Fazio (Anna); D. Gertig; A. Green; P. Webb (Penny); A. Green; P. Parsons; N. Hayward; P.M. Webb (P.); D. Whiteman; A. Fung (Annie); J. Yashiki (June); G. Peuteman (Gilian); D. Smeets (Dominiek); T. Van Brussel (Thomas); K. Corthouts (Kathleen); N. Obi (Nadia); J. Heinz (Judith); T.W. Behrens (Timothy); U. Eilber (Ursula); M. Celik (Muhabbet); T. Olchers (Til); B. Peissel (Bernard); G. Scuvera (Giulietta); D. Zaffaroni (Daniela); B. Bonnani (Bernardo); I. Feroce (Irene); A. Maniscalco (Angela); A. Rossi (Alessandra); L. Bernard (Loris); M. Tranchant (Martine); M.-F. Valois (Marie-France); A. Turgeon (Annie); L. Heguy (Lea); P.S. Yee (Phuah Sze); P. Kang (Peter); K.I. Nee (Kang In); S. Mariapun (Shivaani); Y. Sook-Yee (Yoon); D.S.C. Lee (Daphne S.C.); T.Y. Ching (Teh Yew); N.A.M. Taib (Nur Aishah Mohd); M. Otsukka (Meeri); K. Mononen (Kari); T. Selander (Teresa); N. Weerasooriya (Nayana); E.M.M. Krol-Warmerdam (Elly); J. Molenaar; J. Blom; N. Szeszenia-Dabrowska (Neonilia); B. Peplonska (Beata); W. Zatonski (Witold); P. Chao (Pei); M. Stagner (Michael); P. Bos (Petra); J. Blom (Jannet); E. Crepin (Ellen); A. Nieuwlaat (Anja); A. Heemskerk (Annette); S. Higham (Sue); H.E. Cramp (Helen); D. Connley (Daniel); S. Balasubramanian (Sabapathy); I.W. Brock (Ian); M. Kerin (Michael); N. Miller (Nicola); P. Kerbrat (Pierre); P. Arveux (Patrick); R. Le Scodan (Romuald); Y. Raoul (Yves); P. Laurent-Puig (Pierre); C. Mulot (Claire); C. Stegmaier (Christa); K. Butterbach (Katja); J.H. Karstens (Johann); D. Flesch-Janys (Dieter); P. Seibold (Petra); A. Vrieling (Alina); S. Nickels (Stefan); P. Radice (Paolo); K. Pykäs (Katri); A. Jukkola-Vuorinen (Arja); S. Kauppila (Saila); D. Conroy (Don); C. Baynes (Caroline); K. Chua (Kimberley); R. Pilarski (Robert)

2015-01-01

textabstractBackground: A recent association study identified a common variant (rs9790517) at 4q24 to be associated with breast cancer risk. Independent association signals and potential functional variants in this locus have not been explored. Methods: We conducted a fine-mapping analysis in 55,540

Associations of common variants at 1p11.2 and 14q24.1 (RAD51L1) with breast cancer risk and heterogeneity by tumor subtype

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Figueroa, Jonine D; Garcia-Closas, Montserrat; Humphreys, Manjeet

2011-01-01

for tumors of lower grade (case-only P= 6.7 × 10(-3)) and lobular histology (case-only P= 0.01). SNPs at 14q24.1 were associated with risk for most tumor subtypes evaluated, including triple-negative breast cancers, which has not been described previously. Our results underscore the need for large pooling......A genome-wide association study (GWAS) identified single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) at 1p11.2 and 14q24.1 (RAD51L1) as breast cancer susceptibility loci. The initial GWAS suggested stronger effects for both loci for estrogen receptor (ER)-positive tumors. Using data from the Breast Cancer......10483813 (r(2)= 0.98) at 14q24.1 (RAD51L1), for up to 46 036 invasive breast cancer cases and 46 930 controls from 39 studies. Analyses by tumor characteristics focused on subjects reporting to be white women of European ancestry and were based on 25 458 cases, of which 87% had ER data. The SNP at 1p11...

LANGUAGE APPRAISAL ON ATTITUDINAL SYSTEMS FOR EXPLORING IDEOLOGY IN DEATH PENALTY IN SYDNEY MORNING HERALD AND HERALD SUN EDITORIALS

OpenAIRE

Rosyida Ekawati

2016-01-01

This article deals with the ideology represented by newspaper editorials. It is from the idea that every language use is never neutral and not ideology-free. Language is used to convey meanings in a broad sense. There are meanings related to the opinions through the language as resources of evaluation. Editorial is one practice of language use full of opinions towards a certain issue on people or things. Sydney Morning Herald and Herald Sun are used as both Australian newspaper posit themselv...

Cancer incidence and mortality among young adults aged 20-39 years worldwide in 2012: a population-based study.

Science.gov (United States)

Fidler, Miranda M; Gupta, Sumit; Soerjomataram, Isabelle; Ferlay, Jacques; Steliarova-Foucher, Eva; Bray, Freddie

2017-12-01

To date, the burden of cancer among young adults has rarely been studied in depth. Our aim was to describe the scale and profile of cancer incidence and mortality worldwide among 20-39 year-olds, highlighting major patterns by age, sex, development level, and geographical region. We did a population-based study to quantify the burden of young adult cancers worldwide. We defined young adult cancers as those occurring between the ages of 20 and 39 years because these individuals will have passed puberty and adolescence, but not yet experienced the effects of hormonal decline, immune response deterioration, or organ dysfunction associated with chronic health conditions. Global, regional, and country-specific (n=184) data estimates of the number of new cancer cases and cancer-associated deaths that occurred in 2012 among young adults were extracted in four 5-year bands from the International Agency for Research on Cancer's GLOBOCAN 2012 for all cancers combined and for 27 major types as defined by the International Classification of Disease, tenth revision. We report the number of new cancer cases and cancer-associated deaths overall and by sex alongside corresponding age-standardised rates (ASR) per 100 000 people per year. We also present results using four levels of the Human Development Index (HDI; low [least developed], medium, high, and very high [most developed]), which is a composite indicator for socioeconomic development comprising life expectancy, education, and gross national income. 975 396 new cancer cases and 358 392 cancer-associated deaths occurred among young adults worldwide in 2012, which equated to an ASR of 43·3 new cancer cases per 100 000 people per year and 15·9 cancer-associated deaths per 100 000 people per year. The burden was disproportionally greater among women and the most common cancer types overall in terms of new cases were female breast cancer, cervical cancer, thyroid cancer, leukaemia, and colorectal cancer; in terms of

La perspectiva de los nuevos movimientos sociales en las obras de Sydney Tarrow, Alain Touraine y Alberto Melucci

OpenAIRE

Ayder Berrío Puerta

2006-01-01

Este artículo presenta la discusión en torno a los movimientos sociales a partir de autores como Sydney Tarrow, Alain Touraine y Alberto Melucci. Muestra que en la década del setenta emergieron movimientos sociales que no se correspondían ni con las características ni con los marcos interpretativos disponibles en la teoría de los movimientos sociales hasta ese momento (los modelos marxista y estructural-funcionalista). El artículoofrece una descripción de las características principales de tr...

Regional Cancer Registries – 20 Years and Growing

Science.gov (United States)

The NCI, Center for Global Health (CGH), the University of California at Irvine, the Middle East Cancer Consortium, and the International Agency for Research on Cancer partnered in support of the training course, held in Ankara, Turkey this past October, on The Uses of Cancer Registry Data in Cancer Control Research.

A twelve month study of PM2.5 and PM10 fine particle aerosol composition in the Sydney region using ion beam analysis techniques. Appendix 2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cohen, David D.; Bailey, G.M.; Kondepudi, Ramesh

1995-01-01

The accelerator based ion beam (IBA) analysis techniques of PIXE, PIGME, PESA, and RBS have been used to characterise fine particles at selected sites in the Sydney region. The four techniques operating simultaneously provide elemental concentrations on 24 chemical species, including H, Q N, 0, F, Na, Al, Si, P, S, Cl, K, Ca, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Cu, Ni, Zn, Br and Pb. The total mass and the elemental carbon by laser integrated plate techniques were also measured. A stacked filter system, built by the University of Gent, Belgium and supplied by the IAEA was used to provide fine particle data on PM2.5 and PM10 particles. While a cyclone sampler, built at ANSTO, Lucas Heights, was used to provide data on PM2.5 particles only. The two different types of units were operated along side each other for the whole of 1994 and the results compared. The use of the multi-elemental IBA techniques also allowed for some fine particle source fingerprinting to be performed. (author)

Corrigendum.

Science.gov (United States)

2018-01-01

Corrigendum to: Carter G, Page A, Large M, et al. (2016) Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists clinical practice guideline for the management of deliberate self-harm. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry 50: 939-1000. Readers should note an error in the published version of this article: The previous list of authors and affiliations inadvertently omitted the details of Dr Michael Dudley. The correct author list and affiliation details appear below: Gregory Carter 1,2,3 , Andrew Page 1,4 , Matthew Large 1,5 , Sarah Hetrick 1,6 , Allison Joy Milner 1,7,8 , Nick Bendit 1,9,10 , Carla Walton 1,11 , Brian Draper 1,12,13 , Philip Hazell 1,14 , Sarah Fortune 1,15,16,17 , Jane Burns 1,18,19,20 , George Patton 1,21,22,23,24 , Mark Lawrence 1,25 , Lawrence Dadd 1,26,27,28,29 , Michael Dudley 1, 12 , Jo Robinson 1,6 , and Helen Christensen 1,30 1 Clinical Practice Guideline for Deliberate Self-harm Working Group, RANZCP, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia 2 Centre for Translational Neuroscience and Mental Health, Faculty of Health and Medicine, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia 3 Department of Consultation Liaison Psychiatry, Calvary Mater Newcastle Hospital, Waratah, NSW, Australia 4 Centre for Health Research, Western Sydney University, Richmond, NSW, Australia 5 School of Psychiatry, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia 6 Orygen, The National Centre of Excellence in Youth Mental Health, Melbourne, VIC, Australia 7 Centre for Population Health Research, School of Health and Social Development, Deakin University, Burwood VIC, Australia 8 Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia 9 School of Medicine and Public Health, Faculty of Health and Medicine, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia 10 School of Psychology, Faculty of Science and Information Technology, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW

Breast Cancer Screening in Denmark

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jørgensen, Karsten Juhl; Gøtzsche, Peter C; Kalager, Mette

2017-01-01

Background: Effective breast cancer screening should detect early-stage cancer and prevent advanced disease. Objective: To assess the association between screening and the size of detected tumors and to estimate overdiagnosis (detection of tumors that would not become clinically relevant). Design......) and nonadvanced (≤20 mm) breast cancer tumors in screened and nonscreened women were measured. Two approaches were used to estimate the amount of overdiagnosis: comparing the incidence of advanced and nonadvanced tumors among women aged 50 to 84 years in screening and nonscreening areas; and comparing...... rate ratio, 1.49 [95% CI, 1.43 to 1.54]). The first estimation approach found that 271 invasive breast cancer tumors and 179 ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) lesions were overdiagnosed in 2010 (overdiagnosis rate of 24.4% [including DCIS] and 14.7% [excluding DCIS]). The second approach, which accounted...

Inhibition of protein kinase CK2 reduces CYP24A1 expression and enhances 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 anti-tumor activity in human prostate cancer cells

Science.gov (United States)

Luo, Wei; Yu, Wei-Dong; Ma, Yingyu; Chernov, Mikhail; Trump, Donald L.; Johnson, Candace S.

2013-01-01

Vitamin D has broad range of physiological functions and anti-tumor effects. 24-hydroxylase, encoded by the CYP24A1 gene, is the key enzyme for degrading many forms of vitamin D including the most active form, 1,25D3. Inhibition of CYP24A1 enhances 1,25D3 anti-tumor activity. In order to isolate regulators of CYP24A1 expression in prostate cancer cells, we established a stable prostate cancer cell line PC3 with CYP24A1 promoter driving luciferase expression to screen a small molecular library for compounds that inhibit CYP24A1 promoter activity. From this screening, we identified, 4,5,6,7-tetrabromobenzimidazole (TBBz), a protein kinase CK2 selective inhibitor as a disruptor of CYP24A1 promoter activity. We show that TBBz inhibits CYP24A1 promoter activity induced by 1,25D3 in prostate cancer cells. In addition, TBBz downregulates endogenous CYP24A1 mRNA level in TBBz treated PC3 cells. Furthermore, siRNA-mediated CK2 knockdown reduces 1,25D3 induced CYP24A1 mRNA expression in PC3 cells. These results suggest that CK2 contributes to 1,25D3 mediated target gene expression. Lastly, inhibition of CK2 by TBBz or CK2 siRNA significantly enhanced 1,25D3 mediated anti-proliferative effect in vitro and in vivo in a xenograft model. In summary, our findings reveal that protein kinase CK2 is involved in the regulation of CYP24A1 expression by 1,25D3 and CK2 inhibitor enhances 1,25D3 mediated anti-tumor effect. PMID:23358686

Clinical problems of multiple primary cancers including head and neck cancers. From the viewpoint of radiotherapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nishio, Masamichi; Myojin, Miyako; Nishiyama, Noriaki; Taguchi, Hiroshi; Takagi, Masaru; Tanaka, Katsuhiko

2003-01-01

A total of 2144 head and neck cancers were treated by radiotherapy at the National Sapporo Hospital between 1974 and 2001. Of these, 313 (14.6%) were found to have other primary cancers besides head and neck cancer, in which double cancers were 79% and triple or more cancers were 21%. Frequency according to primary site of the first head and neck cancer was oral cavity: 107/603 (17.7%), epipharynx cancer: 7/117 (6.0%), oropharyngeal cancer: 63/257 (24.5%), hypopharyngeal cancer: 65/200 (32.5%), laryngeal cancer: 114/558 (20.4%), and nose/paranasal sinus: 4.9% respectively. Esophageal cancer, head and neck cancer, lung cancer and gastric cancer were very frequent as other primary sites combined with the head and neck. The first onset region was the head and neck in 233 out of 313 cases with multiple primary cancers. The five-year survival rate from the onset of head and neck cancers is 52%, 10-year: 30%, and 5-year cause-specific survival rate 82%, and 10-year: 78%, respectively. The treatment possibilities in multiple primary cancers tend to be limited because the treatment areas are sometimes overlapped. New approaches to the treatment of multiple primary cancers should be considered in the future. (author)

Perfil eletrocardiográfico dos atletas integrantes da equipe brasileira dos XI jogos paraolímpicos de Sydney 2000 Electrocardiographic profile of the Brazilian team in the Sydney 2000 paralympic games

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marcelo Bichels Leitão

2002-06-01

Full Text Available O esporte paraolímpico tem despertado o interesse da comunidade científica devido à diversidade de situações encontradas em seus atletas. Contudo, existe atualmente uma carência de informações sobre parâmetros clínicos e fisiológicos referentes a atletas portadores de deficiências. Este trabalho tem como objetivo descrever as características eletrocardiográficas encontradas nos atletas da delegação brasileira que participou dos XI Jogos Paraolímpicos de Sydney 2000. Foram avaliados 60 atletas, sendo 50 do sexo masculino e 10 do sexo feminino. Todos estes atletas foram submetidos a uma anamnese e a um exame físico, seguidos de eletrocardiograma de repouso (ECG, teste ergométrico (TE e quando necessário de ecocardiograma (ECOC. De acordo com os resultados do ECG os indivíduos foram classificados em uma de três situações: ECG normal (N = 31, ECG de Atleta (N = 26 ou ECG anormal (N = 3. Não foram observados eventos anormais no TE de nenhum atleta. Os três indivíduos que apresentaram ECG anormal foram submetidos a ECOC que se mostrou normal em todas as situações.Paralympic sports have attracted the interest of the scientific community as a consequence of the diversity of situations found in such athletes. However, there still is a scarcity of information about clinical and physiological parameters of disabled athletes. This study describes the electrocardiographic characteristics observed in the athletes of Brazilian team that participated in the Sydney 2000 Paralympic Games. 60 subjects were evaluated, 10 female and 50 male. All of them were submitted to an anamnesis and a physical examination, followed by a rest electrocardiogram (ECG, an exercise test (ET, and when needed, they were also submitted to an echocardiography (ECOC. According to the ECG results, subjects were classified as normal ECG (N = 31, athlete ECG (N = 26 or altered ECG (N = 3. No abnormalities were observed on ET. The three subjects who showed

Internal radiotherapy for hilar bile duct cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ryu, Munemasa; Ogino, Takashi; Konishi, Hiroshi

1999-01-01

By December 1998, 24 patients with non-resected hilar bile duct cancer (mean age of 74) had received bile duct intracavitary irradiation and 13 patients with residual cancer after resection of hilar bile duct cancer had received postoperative intracavitary irradiation. After they were externally irradiated 30 Gy in total by 15 fractions (2 Gy/time, 5 times in a week), intracavitary irradiation using 192-Ir was given 5 times in total (2 times in a week) from 3 weeks after external irradiation under the condition which dose became 8 Gy in depth of 10 mm from radiation source. The cases of postoperative irradiation had 3 times in total. As for 20 patients of non-resected hilar bile duct cancer without metastasis, 50% survival time was 265 days and there was no 5 year survivor. Fifty percents survival time of 4 patients with metastasis was 113 days. The effect of local control was recognized in 20 patients (83.3%). In 13 patients of postoperative irradiation, 50% survival time was 554 days, and survival rate of 3 years was 28%. (K.H.)

Selective regain of egfr gene copies in CD44+/CD24-/low breast cancer cellular model MDA-MB-468

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Agelopoulos, Konstantin; Buerger, Horst; Brandt, Burkhard; Greve, Burkhard; Schmidt, Hartmut; Pospisil, Heike; Kurtz, Stefan; Bartkowiak, Kai; Andreas, Antje; Wieczorek, Marek; Korsching, Eberhard

2010-01-01

Increased transcription of oncogenes like the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is frequently caused by amplification of the whole gene or at least of regulatory sequences. Aim of this study was to pinpoint mechanistic parameters occurring during egfr copy number gains leading to a stable EGFR overexpression and high sensitivity to extracellular signalling. A deeper understanding of those marker events might improve early diagnosis of cancer in suspect lesions, early detection of cancer progression and the prediction of egfr targeted therapies. The basal-like/stemness type breast cancer cell line subpopulation MDA-MB-468 CD44 high /CD24 -/low , carrying high egfr amplifications, was chosen as a model system in this study. Subclones of the heterogeneous cell line expressing low and high EGF receptor densities were isolated by cell sorting. Genomic profiling was carried out for these by means of SNP array profiling, qPCR and FISH. Cell cycle analysis was performed using the BrdU quenching technique. Low and high EGFR expressing MDA-MB-468 CD44 + /CD24 -/low subpopulations separated by cell sorting showed intermediate and high copy numbers of egfr, respectively. However, during cell culture an increase solely for egfr gene copy numbers in the intermediate subpopulation occurred. This shift was based on the formation of new cells which regained egfr gene copies. By two parametric cell cycle analysis clonal effects mediated through growth advantage of cells bearing higher egfr gene copy numbers could most likely be excluded for being the driving force. Subsequently, the detection of a fragile site distal to the egfr gene, sustaining uncapped telomere-less chromosomal ends, the ladder-like structure of the intrachromosomal egfr amplification and a broader range of egfr copy numbers support the assumption that dynamic chromosomal rearrangements, like breakage-fusion-bridge-cycles other than proliferation drive the gain of egfr copies. Progressive genome modulation

The psychological, social, and behavioural impact of a parent's cancer on adolescent and young adult offspring aged 10-24 at time of diagnosis: A systematic review.

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Morris, Julia; Turnbull, Deborah; Preen, David; Zajac, Ian; Martini, Angelita

2018-06-01

This study reviewed the literature regarding the psychological, social, and behavioural impact of parental cancer on offspring aged 10-24 years, at the time of the parent's first diagnosis. A systematic literature review was conducted following 2015 PRISMA guidelines. Seven studies met inclusion criteria. Offspring were impacted by their parent's cancer and experienced psychological and behavioural problems. Daughters and offspring who experienced more problems at their parent's diagnosis appeared to be most impacted. Offspring refrained from communicating their disease-related concerns, but expected their parents to communicate openly. Turning to oneself and peer-support were coping strategies used by offspring. The majority of offspring were significantly impacted by their parent's cancer. The paucity of literature focusing on offspring aged 10-24 years at the time of their parent's incident cancer diagnosis indicates that research has overlooked offspring age at their parent's cancer onset as a factor that may influence their future outcomes. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Being alone and expectations lost: a critical realist study of maternal depression in South Western Sydney.

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Eastwood, John G; Kemp, Lynn A; Jalaludin, Bin B

2015-01-01

The study reported here is part of a critical realist multilevel study. It seeks to identify and explain complex perinatal contextual social and psychosocial mechanisms that may influence the developmental origins of health and disease, with a focus on the role of postnatal depression. The aims of the greater study are to: (1) describe the phenomenon of postnatal depression in South Western Sydney; and (2) identify mechanisms that would add to our understanding of the psycho-social causes of maternal depression. This paper will move beyond our previous quantitative descriptions of individual-level predictors of depressive symptoms by seeking the views of local mothers and practitioners, to explain the mechanisms that might be involved. The study was set in South Western Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. An Explanatory Theory Building Method was used. The previously reported quantitative study was a non-linear principal component analysis and logistic regression study of 15,389 months delivering in 2002 and 2003. This intensive qualitative study used open coding of interviews, of seven practitioners and three naturally occurring mothers groups, to enable maximum emergence. The theoretical concepts identified were: attachment and nurturing, infant temperament, unplanned pregnancy and sole parenthood, support for mothers, access to services, stress, financial hardship, isolation and marginalisation, mothers' "loss of control" and "power", and expectations and dreams. Being alone and expectations lost emerged as possible triggers of stress and depression for mothers. These findings might also apply to others who have their dreams shattered during life's transitions. In these situations social and cultural context can either nurture and support or marginalise and isolate. The challenge for policy and practice is to support mothers and their partners during the transition to parenthood within a challenging social and material context.

Child restraint use in low socio-economic areas of urban Sydney during transition to new legislation.

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Keay, Lisa; Hunter, Kate; Brown, Julie; Bilston, Lynne E; Simpson, Judy M; Stevenson, Mark; Ivers, Rebecca Q

2013-01-01

Child restraints protect a young child against injury in crashes but best practice child restraint use is low in Australia, particularly among lower socio-economic groups. We investigated factors associated with restraint use to inform the development of education and distribution programmes to support new Australian legislation on child passengers among families in low socio-economic areas of metropolitan Sydney. We interviewed a parent or carer of 1160 children aged 2-5 years enrolled at one of 28 early childhood centres in low socio-economic areas of urban Sydney. Appropriate child restraint use was defined as a forward facing child restraint (FFCR) for 2-3 year olds and a FFCR or booster seat for children aged 4 years or more. Predictors of self-reported appropriate use were explored using logistic regression. Analysis was conducted on one child from each family in the target age range (2-5 years): 586 (51%) were male and the mean age was 3.5 (Standard Deviation 0.8) years. There were 432 (45%) families with annual income below $60,000, 248 (22%) spoke a language other than English at home and 360 (33%) had 3 or more children. Fifty-four percent of carers indicated that their 2-3 year old children travelled in a FFCR. Inappropriate use among children in this age group was more likely when the carer was law and poorer knowledge of safety benefits of child restraints. They also had lower household incomes and more concerns about cost of child restraints and booster seats. These findings can inform development of interventions to promote best practice child restraint use, which will reach non-English speaking families in this region. They also confirm the importance of economic and logistic barriers to best practice child restraint use. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

8q24 sequence variants in relation to prostate cancer risk among men of African descent: A case-control study

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VanCleave Tiva T

2010-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Human chromosome 8q24 has been implicated in prostate tumorigenesis. Methods Consequently, we evaluated seven 8q24 sequence variants relative to prostate cancer (PCA in a case-control study involving men of African descent. Genetic alterations were detected in germ-line DNA from 195 incident PCA cases and 531 controls using TaqMan polymerase chain reaction (PCR. Results Inheritance of the 8q24 rs16901979 T allele corresponded to a 2.5-fold increase in the risk of developing PCA for our test group. These findings were validated using multifactor dimensionality reduction (MDR and permutation testing (p = 0.038. The remaining 8q24 targets were not significantly related to PCA outcomes. Conclusions Although compelling evidence suggests that the 8q24 rs16901979 locus may serve as an effective PCA predictor, our findings require additional evaluation in larger studies.

CD44+/CD24- breast cancer cells exhibit phenotypic reversion in three-dimensional self-assembling peptide RADA16 nanofiber scaffold

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Mi K

2015-04-01

Full Text Available Kun Mi,1 Zhihua Xing2 1Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Sichuan Cancer Hospital and Institute, 2Laboratory of Ethnopharmacology, Institute for Nanobiomedical Technology and Membrane Biology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, People’s Republic of China Background: Self-assembling peptide nanofiber scaffolds have been shown to be a ­permissive biological material for tissue repair, cell proliferation, differentiation, etc. Recently, a subpopulation (CD44+/CD24- of breast cancer cells has been reported to have stem/progenitor cell properties. The aim of this study was to investigate whether this subpopulation of cancer cells have different phenotypes in self-assembling COCH3-RADARADARADARADA-CONH2 (RADA16 peptide nanofiber scaffold compared with Matrigel® (BD Biosciences, Two Oak Park, Bedford, MA, USA and collagen I.Methods: CD44 and CD24 expression was determined by flow cytometry. Cell proliferation was measured by 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine assay and DNA content measurement. Immunostaining was used to indicate the morphologies of cells in three-dimensional (3D cultures of different scaffolds and the localization of β-catenin in the colonies. Western blot was used to determine the expression of signaling proteins. In vitro migration assay and inoculation into nude mice were used to evaluate invasion and tumorigenesis in vivo.Results: The breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-435S contained a high percentage (>99% of CD44+/CD24- cells, which exhibited phenotypic reversion in 3D RADA16 nanofiber scaffold compared with collagen I and Matrigel. The newly formed reverted acini-like colonies reassembled a basement membrane and reorganized their cytoskeletons. At the same time, cells cultured and embedded in RADA16 peptide scaffold exhibited growth arrest. Also, they exhibited different migration potential, which links their migration ability with their cellular morphology. Consistent with studies in vitro, the in vivo tumor

Staging of intestinal- and diffuse-type gastric cancers with the OLGA and OLGIM staging systems.

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Cho, S-J; Choi, I J; Kook, M-C; Nam, B-H; Kim, C G; Lee, J Y; Ryu, K W; Kim, Y-W

2013-11-01

Operative link on gastritis assessment (OLGA) and Operative link on gastric intestinal metaplasia assessment (OLGIM) staging systems have been proposed for gastric cancer (GC) risk estimation. To validate the OLGA and OLGIM staging systems in a region with high risk of GC. This retrospective study included 474 GC patients and age- and sex-matched health screening control persons in a cancer centre hospital. We classified gastritis patterns according to the OLGA and OLGIM systems using the histological database that a pathologist prospectively evaluated using the updated Sydney system. GC risk according to the OLGA and OLGIM stages was evaluated using logistic regression analysis. More GC patients had OLGA stages III-IV (46.2%) than controls (26.6%, P diffuse-type GCs (30.9%). OLGA stages III and IV were significantly associated with increased risk of GC [odds ratios (ORs), 2.09; P = 0.008 and 2.04; P = 0.014 respectively] in multivariate analysis. The association was more significant for intestinal-type (ORs, 4.76; P = 0.001 and 4.19; P = 0.002 respectively), but not diffuse-type GC. OLGIM stages from I to IV were significantly associated with increased risk of both intestinal-type (ORs, 3.64, 5.15, 7.89 and 13.20 respectively) and diffuse-type GC (ORs, 1.84, 2.59, 5.08 and 6.32 respectively) with a significantly increasing trend. As high OLGA and OLGIM stages are independent risk factors for gastric cancer, the staging systems may be useful for risk assessment in high-risk regions, especially for intestinal-type gastric cancer. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Renal biopsy pathology in a cohort of patients from southwest Sydney with clinically diagnosed systemic lupus erythematosus.

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Yong, Jim Lc; Killingsworth, Murray C; Lai, Ken

2013-01-01

The pathological manifestations in the kidneys in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) are commonly known as lupus nephritis. We have studied the pathological changes in renal biopsies from 59 cases of clinically diagnosed SLE obtained over a 15-year period from a racially diverse population in the Sydney metropolitan area. Our aim was to see if there was any regional variation in the morphological changes. Renal biopsy changes were assessed by routine light, immunofluorescence, and electron microscopy. We used the modified 1974 World Health Organization classification of lupus nephritis to classify cases into six classes. Disease severity was assessed by age, sex, and across racial groups, including Caucasian, Asian, Middle Eastern, Mediterranean, Indian subcontinental, South American, and Pacific Islander. Our analysis showed that cases of lupus nephritis contributed 5.4% of our total renal biopsies examined over a 15-year period. The overall incidence of biopsy-proven cases was 0.49 per 100,000 per year. The ages of our patients ranged from 10 to 79 years, with most below 50 years of age. A female to male ratio was determined to be 4.4:1. There was no relationship to ethnicity, nor was there a relationship between any of these parameters and the class or severity of disease. Renal biopsy with multimodal morphological and immunohistochemical analysis remains the gold standard for diagnosis and determination of the level of disease in lupus nephritis. Based on this approach we have identified an incidence rate for southwest Sydney that is slightly higher but comparable to that found in a similar study from the United Kingdom. We also found that there was no relationship between sex, race, or age and severity of disease.

Correlations of post-implant regional dosimetric parameters at 24 hours and one month, with clinical results of low-dose-rate brachytherapy for localized prostate cancer

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Eiichiro Okazaki

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Purpose : To evaluate the correlations of post-implant regional dosimetrics at 24 hours (24 h and 1 month after implant procedures, with clinical outcomes of low-dose-rate (LDR brachytherapy for localized prostate cancer. Material and methods : Between January 2008 and December 2014, 130 consecutive patients treated for localized prostate cancer, receiving definitive iodine-125 ( 125 I brachytherapy treatment were retrospectively analyzed. All patients underwent post-implant CT imaging for dosimetric analysis at 24 h and 1 month after implantation procedure. Prostate contours were divided into quadrants: anterior-superior (ASQ, posterior-superior (PSQ, anterior-inferior (AIQ, and posterior-inferior (PIQ. Predictive factors and cut-off values of biochemical failure-free survival (BFFS and toxicities of LDR brachytherapy were analyzed. Results : The median follow-up time was 69.5 months. Seven patients (5.4% had biochemical failure. The 3-year and 5-year BFFS rates were 96.7% and 93.1%, respectively. On multivariate analysis, prostate-specific antigen and Gleason score were significant prognostic factors for biochemical failure. D 90 (the minimal dose received by 90% of the volume of PSQ and PIQ at 24 h, and D 90 of PSQ at 1 month were also significant factors. The cut-off values of PSQ D 90 were 145 Gy at 24 h and 160 Gy at 1 month. D 90 of the whole prostate was not significant at 24 h and at 1 month. D 90 of PSQ at 1 month was a significant factor for rectal hemorrhage. Conclusions : Post-implant D 90 of PSQ is significantly associated with BFFS for localized prostate cancer not only at 1 month, but also at 24 hours. D 90 of PSQ at 1 month is also a significant factor for rectal hemorrhage.

The chemokines CCL11, CCL20, CCL21, and CCL24 are preferentially expressed in polarized human secondary lymphoid follicles.

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Buri, Caroline; Gutersohn, Andreas; Hauser, Chantal; Kappeler, Andreas; Mueller, Christoph

2004-10-01

Chemokines regulate cellular trafficking to and from lymphoid follicles. Here, the distribution pattern of four CCL chemokines is defined by in situ hybridization in human lymphoid follicles from tonsils and lymph nodes (LNs) of newborns and adults. Cells expressing CCL11 (eotaxin) and CCL20 (Exodus) were preferentially located within follicles, while cells expressing CCL21 (secondary lymphoid-tissue chemokine) and CCL24 (eotaxin-2) mRNA were almost exclusively found in the perifollicular areas. Hence, the two CCR3-binding chemokines, CCL11 and CCL24, showed a mutually exclusive expression pattern in the intra- and extra-follicular areas, respectively. Chemokine gene expression paralleled follicular maturation: in tonsils, where approximately 80% of follicles are polarized, CCL11 and CCL20 mRNA-positive cells were detected more frequently than in lymph nodes from adults, where about half of follicles are non-polarized. No intrafollicular chemokine expression was detectable in the primary follicles from newborns. Extrafollicular cells expressing CCL21 and CCL24 were again more frequent in tonsils than in LNs from adults. The observed preferential presence of cells expressing CC chemokines in polarized human lymphoid follicles indicates that chemokines are not only instrumental in the induction of follicle formation, but may also be involved in their further differentiation.

Analyses of electron and proton scattering to low excitation isoscalar states in 20Ne, 24Mg and 28Si

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Amos, K.; Bauhoff, W.

1983-01-01

Intermediate energy inelastic proton scattering differential cross section and polarization data from the 2 1 + states in 24 Mg and 28 Si and from the 4 1 + states in 28 Si have been analysed using the Distorted Wave Approximation with large basis models of nuclear structure. These structure models were tested by use in analyses of the longitudinal form factors obtained from inelastic electron scattering, so that analyses of the intermediate energy (p,p') data from the same transitions are then sensitive tests of the two-nucleon t-matrix. Data from these and other 2 1 + transitions in 12 C and 20 Ne at 49 MeV (24 MeV in the case of 20 Ne), were also analysed to compare models of t-matrices at lower energies. An ancilliary study of the momentum transfer dependence of effective charges has been made as both s-d shell and large basis structure models have been used to compare with form factor data up to momentum transfers of 2.5 fm -1 . The deduced momentum dependence of the effective charges is significant

A Food Handler-Associated, Foodborne Norovirus GII.4 Sydney 2012-Outbreak Following a Wedding Dinner, Austria, October 2012.

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Maritschnik, Sabine; Kanitz, Elisabeth Eva; Simons, Erica; Höhne, Marina; Neumann, Heidelinde; Allerberger, Franz; Schmid, Daniela; Lederer, Ingeborg

2013-09-12

On October 12, 2012, the provincial public health directorate of Salzburg reported a suspected norovirus (NV) outbreak among guests of a wedding-reception. The investigation aimed to confirm the causative agent, to identify the mode of transmission and to implement appropriate preventive measures. A probable outbreak case was defined as a wedding guest with diarrhoea or vomiting with disease onset from 7 to 10 October 2012 and who consumed food at the wedding dinner prepared by a hotel in the province Salzburg on 6 October 2012. A confirmed outbreak case fulfilled the criteria of a probable outbreak case and had a laboratory-confirmed NV infection. We conducted a cohort-investigation among the wedding guests. The case definitions were fulfilled in 26 wedding guests (25 %) including 2 confirmed cases. Females were 3.2 times more likely to develop disease (95 % CI 1.4-7.2) as compared to males. A mushroom dish was found to be associated with disease risk among females (risk ratio 2.3, 95 % CI 1.2-4.3). Two of 2 tested case-patients and 6 of 14 kitchen workers tested were positive for NV GII.4 Sydney. One kitchen staff-member worked during the wedding dinner despite diarrhoea. No food safety training was documented for the employees and the kitchen staff's restroom was lacking operational facilities for hand hygiene. We report the first investigated outbreak due to GII.4 Sydney, which was likely due to a symptomatic kitchen worker. Gender-specific eating behaviour may have posed female guests at higher risk of NV infection.

Predictive and therapeutic markers in ovarian cancer

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Gray, Joe W.; Guan, Yinghui; Kuo, Wen-Lin; Fridlyand, Jane; Mills, Gordon B.

2013-03-26

Cancer markers may be developed to detect diseases characterized by increased expression of apoptosis-suppressing genes, such as aggressive cancers. Genes in the human chromosomal regions, 8q24, 11q13, 20q11-q13, were found to be amplified indicating in vivo drug resistance in diseases such as ovarian cancer. Diagnosis and assessment of amplification levels certain genes shown to be amplified, including PVT1, can be useful in prediction of poor outcome of patient's response and drug resistance in ovarian cancer patients with low survival rates. Certain genes were found to be high priority therapeutic targets by the identification of recurrent aberrations involving genome sequence, copy number and/or gene expression are associated with reduced survival duration in certain diseases and cancers, specifically ovarian cancer. Therapeutics to inhibit amplification and inhibitors of one of these genes, PVT1, target drug resistance in ovarian cancer patients with low survival rates is described.

Mortality among homeless people with schizophrenia in Sydney, Australia: a 10-year follow-up.

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Babidge, N C; Buhrich, N; Butler, T

2001-02-01

The aims were first, to describe deaths in a cohort of homeless people compared to the general population and secondly, to compare deaths among the individuals with schizophrenia to those without schizophrenia. Mortality was assessed in a cohort of 708 homeless subjects, 506 with schizophrenia who were referred 10 years previously to psychiatric outreach clinics. Standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) were calculated. Eighty-three people (12%) had died, 19 from suicide. The SMR was 3.76 for homeless men and 3.14 for homeless women. There was a non-significant trend for higher excess mortality among men without schizophrenia compared to men with schizophrenia. SMRs for suicide were significantly elevated among homeless men. Homeless people in inner Sydney have death rates three to four times higher than people in the general population of New South Wales. Excess mortality was greatest for younger age groups.

Bimonthly 24 h infusion of high-dose 5-fluorouracil vs EAP regimen in patients with advanced gastric cancer. A randomized phase II study.

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Popov, I P; Jelić, S B; Krivokapić, Z V; Jezdić, S D; Pesko, P M; Micev, M T; Babić, D R

2008-01-01

To investigate the activity and toxicity of high dose (HD) infusional 5-FU in comparison to EAP regimen as first-line chemotherapy in patients with advanced gastric cancer. Histologically confirmed measurable advanced gastric cancer, age EAP arm: doxorubicin (40 mg/m(2)), etoposide (360 mg/m(2)), and cisplatin (80 mg/m(2)) every 28 d; HD 5-FU arm: 5-FU 2.6 g/m(2) 24 h infusion, biweekly. Sixty patients were randomized. Patient characteristics (arms EAP/HD 5-FU): Median age 57/55 yr, median PS 1/1, LAD (patients) 3/8, M1 (patients) 27/22. Median number of cycles (range): EAP arm 4 (2-8), HD 5-FU arm 2 (1-8). Worst toxicity per cycle (grade 3 and 4 in%): Neutropenia 20/3, thrombocytopenia 9/0, anemia 9/13, diarrhea 3/10, nausea 17/7, vomiting 10/0 for EAP and HD 5-FU arms, respectively. All patients were eligible for response in both arms. Confirmed response rate (95%CI): EAP arm 34% [16-50%]/HD 5-FU arm 10% (0-21%), no change: 46/40%, progression of disease: 20/50, respectively. Overall survival (range): EAP arm A 7 mo [3-27], HD 5-FU arm 6 mo (4-25). Infusional HD 5-FU showed a low incidence of severe toxicity. But given the low efficacy of 5-FU in the dosage we applied in the study, it cannot be recommended as a single treatment for further studies. Assessment of higher dose intensity and/or dose density of 5-FU, with introduction of other active drugs in combination, could be an option for further studies.

Relationship between cancer-related traumatic stress and family milestone achievement in adolescent and young adult survivors of childhood cancer.

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Tillery, Rachel; Beal, Sarah J; Thompson, Aimee N; Pai, Ahna L H

2018-06-01

Late physical and emotional effects of cancer treatment pose a burden for adolescent and young adult survivors of childhood cancer, including family milestone achievement. This brief report examined links between ongoing cancer-related post-traumatic stress symptoms (CR-PTSS) and family milestone achievement. Survivors (n = 51; M age  = 24.73, SD = 8.20) completed CR-PTSS and family formation questionnaires. Descriptive statistics, univariate parameter-constraints, and correlation analyses examined relations among study variables. Ongoing intrusive thoughts and hyperarousal were negatively linked to family identity development and family achievement. Findings from the present study provide support that ongoing CR-PTSS may be a barrier to family formation. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Analysis of the Indicence and Survival of Female Breast Cancer Patients in Beijing Over a 20-Year Period

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Qijun Wang; Weixing Zhu; Xiumei Xing; Chenxu Qu

2006-01-01

OBJECTIVE To provide evidence for breast cancer prevention and control through epidemiological analysis of the incidence, mortality and survival rate of female breast cancer patients in Beijing.METHODS The female registration data in the Beijing urban area from 1982 to 2001 were retrospectively reviewed. The incidence, mortality and survival rate of female breast cancer patients were analyzed using routine and life-table statistical methods.RESULTS During the period of 1982 to 2001, there was a trend of an average annual increase of female breast cancer incidence of 4.6% in urban Beijing, and of 4.9% in the world-population standardized incidence.The epidemiological features of urban Beijing female breast cancer showed:(1)The incidence distribution of different age groups from 25 to 80 years elevated with two peaks at ages of 45～ and 70～ years; (2)There was an elevation in each age group over the last 20 years; (3)The incidence rate at ages of 35 to 64 reached 95.3/105, causing breast cancer to become the number one cancer in females. The changes in the survival rate showed the following: the 5-year observed survival rate (OSR)increased from 62.0% in 1982～1983 to 68.7% in 1987～1988, and the relative-survival rate (RSR) increased from 66.3% to 74.2%. The 10-year OSR and RSR in 1987～1988 were 60.3% and 65.1%, and at 15 years 57.5% and 61.3%, respectively. The mortality rate of breast cancer patients fluctuated from 8 to 10 per 105 population over the 20 years of study.CONCLUSION There is a trend of an annual increase in female breast cancer in Beijing. The 5-year survival is being improved gradually while the mortality remains stable. The results demonstrate that the principles of "early prevention, diagnosis and treatment" for breast cancer are effective in Beijing.

[miR-503-5p inhibits the proliferation of T24 and EJ bladder cancer cells by interfering with the Rb/E2F signaling pathway].

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Li, Xiaohui; Han, Xingtao; Yang, Jinhui; Sun, Jiantao; Wei, Pengtao

2017-10-01

Objective To observe the effect of microRNA-503-5p (miR-503-5p) on the growth of T24 and EJ bladder cancer cells, and explore the possible molecular mechanism. Methods The miR-504-5p mimics or miR-NC was transfected into T24 and EJ cells. The target gene of miR-503-5p was predicted by bioinformatics. The expressions of E2F transcription factor 3 (E2F3) mRNA and Rb/E2F signaling pathway mRNA were detected by the real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR). The expressions of Rb/E2F signal pathway proteins E2F3, cyclin E, CDK2, Rb and p-Rb were detected by Western blotting. The cell cycle of bladder cancer cell lines was determined by flow cytometry. MTT assay and plate cloning assay were performed to observe the proliferation ability of bladder cancer cells. Results After miR-503-5p mimics transfection, the expression of miR-503-5p in bladder cancer cells significantly increased. The increased expression of miR-503-5p significantly reduced the expressions of E2F3 mRNA and Rb/E2F signaling pathway mRNA in bladder cancer cells. What's more, the expressions of Rb/E2F signal pathway proteins were down-regulated. The bladder cancer cells were arrested in G0/G1 phase, and their growth was significantly inhibited by miR-503-5p. Conclusion The miR-503-5p over-expression can inhibit the growth of bladder cancer cell lines T24 and EJ by down-regulating the expression of the Rb/E2F signaling pathway.

CD147 and Prostate Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

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Fei Peng

Full Text Available Prostate cancer is one of the most common non-cutaneous malignancies in men. We aimed to systemically evaluate the relationship between the expression of CD147 in tissues and the clinicopathological features of prostate cancer.PubMed (1966-2016, EMBASE (1980-2016, the Cochrane Library (1996-2016, Web of Science (1945-2016, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (1982-2016, and the WanFang databases (1988-2016 were searched. Literature quality assessment was performed with the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Meta-analysis was performed by using Review Manager 5.3 and Stata 13.0. A total of 12591 prostate cancer patients from 14 studies were included. The results of the meta-analysis showed that there were significant differences in the positive expression rate in the following comparisons: prostatic cancer tissues vs. normal prostate tissues (odds ratio [OR] = 26.93, 95% confidence interval [CI] 7.95-91.20, P < 0.00001, prostatic cancer tissues vs. benign prostatic hyperplasia tissues (OR = 20.54, 95% CI 8.20-51.44, P < 0.00001, high Gleason score vs. low Gleason score (OR = 2.39, 95% CI 1.33-4.27, P = 0.03, TNM III to IV vs. TNM I to II (OR = 9.95, 95% CI 4.96-19.96, P < 0.00001, low or moderate differentiation vs. high differentiation (OR = 8.12, 95% CI 3.69-17.85, P < 0.00001, lymph node metastasis vs. non-lymph node metastasis (OR = 4.31, 95% CI 1.11-16.71, P = 0.03, and distant metastasis vs. non-distant metastasis (OR = 8.90, 95% CI 3.24-24.42, P < 0.00001.The CD147 positive expression rate was closely related to the clinical characteristics of prostate cancer, but more research is needed to confirm the findings owing to the results of the subgroups.

A riposte for a fencer. The residency appointment of Alfred Edmund Finckh to Sydney Hospital in 1905. Was it just a matter of male chauvinism?

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Finckh, E S; Finckh, A S

Alfred Finckh gained a residency at Sydney Hospital in 1905 in preference to a more academically successful female medical graduate, amid some controversy over the place of female doctors in hospitals. Here, two of his descendants argue his cause: that he was an experienced scientist with qualities that merited his selection for the post.

Proteomic discovery of biomarkers of metal contamination in Sydney Rock oysters (Saccostrea glomerata)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Thompson, Emma L., E-mail: emma.thompson@mq.edu.au [Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, NSW 2109 (Australia); Sydney Institute of Marine Science, Chowder Bay, NSW 2088 (Australia); Taylor, Daisy A. [Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, NSW 2109 (Australia); Sydney Institute of Marine Science, Chowder Bay, NSW 2088 (Australia); Nair, Sham V. [Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, NSW 2109 (Australia); Birch, Gavin [Department of Geochemistry, University of Sydney, NSW 2006 (Australia); Haynes, Paul A. [Department of Chemistry and Biomolecular Sciences, Macquarie University, NSW 2109 (Australia); Raftos, David A. [Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, NSW 2109 (Australia); Sydney Institute of Marine Science, Chowder Bay, NSW 2088 (Australia)

2012-03-15

In the current study we examined the effects of metal contamination on the protein complement of Sydney Rock oysters. Saccostrea glomerata were exposed for 4 days to three environmentally relevant concentrations (100 {mu}g/l, 50 {mu}g/l and 5 {mu}g/l) of cadmium, copper, lead and zinc. Protein abundances in oyster haemolymph from metal-exposed oysters were compared to those from non-exposed controls using two-dimensional electrophoresis to display differentially expressed proteins. Differentially expressed proteins were subsequently identified using tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), to assign their putative biological functions. Unique sets of differentially expressed proteins were affected by each metal, in addition to proteins that were affected by more than one metal. The proteins identified included some that are commonly associated with environmental monitoring, such as HSP 70, and other novel proteins not previously considered as candidates for molecular biomonitoring. The most common biological functions of proteins were associated with stress response, cytoskeletal activity and protein synthesis.

Expression of the vitamin D receptor, 25-hydroxylases, 1alpha-hydroxylase and 24-hydroxylase in the human kidney and renal clear cell cancer

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Blomberg Jensen, Martin; Andersen, Claus B.; Nielsen, John E

2010-01-01

The vitamin D receptor (VDR), CYP27B1 and CYP24A1 are expressed in the human kidney, but the segmental expression of the 25-hydroxylases is unknown. A comprehensive analysis of CYP2R1, CYP27A1, CYP27B1, VDR and CYP24A1 expression in normal kidney and renal clear cell cancer (CCc) would reveal...

Caring for patients with cancer in non-specialist wards: the nurse experience.

Science.gov (United States)

Mohan, S; Wilkes, L M; Ogunsiji, O; Walker, A

2005-07-01

This study aims to describe the experiences of nurses caring for cancer patients in non-specialist wards. The study was conducted in a large (420 beds) and small (32 beds) hospital in an area health service with urban and rural populations in the west of Sydney. A qualitative descriptive approach was utilized to collect data from the nurses. Data were collected using a survey and in-depth interviews of nurses working in non-specialist cancer wards. Transcribed data were managed with Nudist Vivo software and analysed for common themes using process of constant comparison and contrast. Twenty-five surveys were returned and five nurses volunteered to be interviewed. The six major themes that emerged from analysis of data were: emotional nature of care, lack of time, lack of knowledge of cancer treatment, family support, environment not conducive to proper care and dealing with patient's non-acceptance of cancer diagnosis. The nurses in this study wished to provide quality supportive care for cancer patients and their families but the inconducive environment and inadequate relevant training hindered the nurses' efforts. This then presents further need of relevant training for nurses in cancer care and time management, to meet up with these challenges.

Comparison of diet measures from a food-frequency questionnaire with measures from repeated 24-hour dietary recalls. The Norwegian Women and Cancer Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Hjartåker, Anette; Andersen, Lene Frost; Lund, Eiliv

2007-10-01

To compare diet measures from a food-frequency questionnaire (FFQ) with measures from 24-hour dietary recalls (24HDRs). The participants answered an FFQ after completing four, repeated 24HDRs during a year. Norway, nationwide. Of 500 women randomly selected from The Norwegian Women and Cancer Study (the Norwegian arm of the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition), 286 agreed to participate and 238 completed the study. On the group level, the FFQ overestimated absolute intake in seven and underestimated intake in six of 21 food groups. Intakes of energy, fat, added sugar and alcohol were lower in the FFQ than in the 24HDRs, whereas intake of fibre was higher. Spearman's rank correlation coefficient ranged from 0.13 (desserts) to 0.82 (coffee) for foods, and from 0.25 (beta-carotene) to 0.67 (alcohol) for nutrients. Three per cent of the observations on nutrient intake fell in the opposite quintile when classified according to the FFQ as compared with the 24HDR. The median calibration coefficient, calculated by regression of the 24HDR data on the FFQ data, was 0.57 for foods and 0.38 for nutrients. The FFQ's ability to rank subjects was good for foods eaten frequently and fairly good for macronutrients in terms of energy percentages. Weaker ranking abilities were seen for foods eaten infrequently and for some micronutrients. The results underline the necessity of performing measurement error corrections.

Inhibition of Ovarian Cancer by microRNA-mediated Regulation of Telomerase

Science.gov (United States)

2009-05-01

State Comprehensive Cancer Center, version 2.0), which contains probes for 460 mature miRNAs spotted in quadruplicate (235 Homo sapiens , 222 Mus... el at iv e m RN A e xp re ss io n (fo ld c ha ng ge : d C t vs . b et a- ac tin ) Figure 1. Expression of hTERT mRNA in ovarian cancer cells...5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 Cycle Number D el ta R n Delta Rn vs Cycle

Stressing the ubiquitin-proteasome system without 20S proteolytic inhibition selectively kills cervical cancer cells.

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Ravi K Anchoori

Full Text Available Cervical cancer cells exhibit an increased requirement for ubiquitin-dependent protein degradation associated with an elevated metabolic turnover rate, and for specific signaling pathways, notably HPV E6-targeted degradation of p53 and PDZ proteins. Natural compounds with antioxidant properties including flavonoids and triterpenoids hold promise as anticancer agents by interfering with ubiquitin-dependent protein degradation. An increasing body of evidence indicates that their α-β unsaturated carbonyl system is the molecular determinant for inhibition of ubiquitin-mediated protein degradation up-stream of the catalytic sites of the 20S proteasome. Herein we report the identification and characterization of a new class of chalcone-based, potent and cell permeable chemical inhibitors of ubiquitin-dependent protein degradation, and a lead compound RAMB1. RAMB1 inhibits ubiquitin-dependent protein degradation without compromising the catalytic activities of the 20S proteasome, a mechanism distinct from that of Bortezomib. Treatment of cervical cancer cells with RAMB1 triggers unfolded protein responses, including aggresome formation and Hsp90 stabilization, and increases p53 steady state levels. RAMB1 treatment results in activation of lysosomal-dependent degradation pathways as a mechanism to compensate for increasing levels of poly-ubiquitin enriched toxic aggregates. Importantly, RAMB1 synergistically triggers cell death of cervical cancer cells when combined with the lysosome inhibitor Chloroquine.

Clinically relevant morphological structures in breast cancer represent transcriptionally distinct tumor cell populations with varied degrees of epithelial-mesenchymal transition and CD44+CD24- stemness.

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Denisov, Evgeny V; Skryabin, Nikolay A; Gerashchenko, Tatiana S; Tashireva, Lubov A; Wilhelm, Jochen; Buldakov, Mikhail A; Sleptcov, Aleksei A; Lebedev, Igor N; Vtorushin, Sergey V; Zavyalova, Marina V; Cherdyntseva, Nadezhda V; Perelmuter, Vladimir M

2017-09-22

Intratumor morphological heterogeneity in breast cancer is represented by different morphological structures (tubular, alveolar, solid, trabecular, and discrete) and contributes to poor prognosis; however, the mechanisms involved remain unclear. In this study, we performed 3D imaging, laser microdissection-assisted array comparative genomic hybridization and gene expression microarray analysis of different morphological structures and examined their association with the standard immunohistochemistry scorings and CD44 + CD24 - cancer stem cells. We found that the intratumor morphological heterogeneity is not associated with chromosomal aberrations. By contrast, morphological structures were characterized by specific gene expression profiles and signaling pathways and significantly differed in progesterone receptor and Ki-67 expression. Most importantly, we observed significant differences between structures in the number of expressed genes of the epithelial and mesenchymal phenotypes and the association with cancer invasion pathways. Tubular (tube-shaped) and alveolar (spheroid-shaped) structures were transcriptionally similar and demonstrated co-expression of epithelial and mesenchymal markers. Solid (large shapeless) structures retained epithelial features but demonstrated an increase in mesenchymal traits and collective cell migration hallmarks. Mesenchymal genes and cancer invasion pathways, as well as Ki-67 expression, were enriched in trabecular (one/two rows of tumor cells) and discrete groups (single cells and/or arrangements of 2-5 cells). Surprisingly, the number of CD44 + CD24 - cells was found to be the lowest in discrete groups and the highest in alveolar and solid structures. Overall, our findings indicate the association of intratumor morphological heterogeneity in breast cancer with the epithelial-mesenchymal transition and CD44 + CD24 - stemness and the appeal of this heterogeneity as a model for the study of cancer invasion.

Effects of 2,4-D and DCP on the DHT-induced androgenic action in human prostate cancer cells.

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Kim, Hyun-Jung; Park, Young In; Dong, Mi-Sook

2005-11-01

2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) and its metabolite 2,4-dichlorophenol (DCP) are used extensively in agriculture as herbicides, and are suspected of potential endocrine disruptor activity. In a previous study, we showed that these compounds exhibited synergistic androgenic effects by co-treatment with testosterone in the Hershberger assay. To elucidate the mechanisms of the synergistic effects of these compounds on the androgenicity of testosterone, the androgenic action of 2,4-D and DCP was characterized using a mammalian detection system in prostate cancer cell lines. In in vitro assay systems, while 2,4-D or DCP alone did not show androgenic activity, 2,4-D or DCP with 5alpha-dihydroxytestosterone (DHT) exhibited synergistic androgenic activities. Co-treatment of 10 nM 2,4-D or DCP with 10 nM DHT was shown to stimulate the cell proliferation by 1.6-fold, compared to 10 nM DHT alone. In addition, in transient transfection assays, androgen-induced transactivation was also increased to a maximum of 32-fold or 1.28-fold by co-treatment of 2,4-D or DCP with DHT, respectively. However, 2,4-D and DCP exerted no effects on either mRNA or protein levels of AR. In a competitive AR binding assay, 2,4-D and DCP inhibited androgen binding to AR, up to 50% at concentrations of approximately 0.5 microM for both compounds. The nuclear translocation of green fluorescent protein-AR fusion protein in the presence of DHT was promoted as the result of the addition of 2,4-D and DCP. Collectively, these results that 2,4-D and DCP enhanced DHT-induced AR transcriptional activity might be attributable, at least in part, to the promotion of AR nuclear translocation.

A component of green tea (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate, promotes apoptosis in T24 human bladder cancer cells via modulation of the PI3K/Akt pathway and Bcl-2 family proteins

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Qin Jie; Xie Liping; Zheng Xiangyi; Wang Yunbin; Bai Yu; Shen Huafeng; Li Longcheng; Dahiya, Rajvir

2007-01-01

Bladder cancer is the fourth most common cancer in men and ninth most common in women. It has a protracted course of progression and is thus an ideal candidate for chemoprevention strategies and trials. This study was conducted to evaluate the chemopreventive/antiproliferative potential of (-)-epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG, the major phytochemical in green tea) against bladder cancer and its mechanism of action. Using the T24 human bladder cancer cell line, we found that EGCG treatment caused dose- and time-dependent inhibition of cellular proliferation and cell viability, and induced apoptosis. Mechanistically, EGCG inhibits phosphatidylinositol 3'-kinase/Akt activation that, in turn, results in modulation of Bcl-2 family proteins, leading to enhanced apoptosis of T24 cells. These findings suggest that EGCG may be an important chemoprevention agent for the management of bladder cancer

Palynological evidence for Pennsylvanian (Late Carboniferous) vegetation change in the Sydney Coalfield, eastern Canada

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dimitrova, T.K.; Zodrow, E.L.; Cleal, C.J.; Thomas, B.A. [Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia (Bulgaria). Inst. of Geology

2010-07-15

The palynology of elastic samples from seven stratigraphical levels in the late Moscovian Sydney Mines Formation, exposed along the shore at Bras d'Or, Nova Scotia, has been investigated. Most of the samples were from roof shales of major coals; the one sample that was not yielded a much higher proportion of pollen derived from extra-basinal vegetation. The four stratigraphically lower roof shale samples yielded essentially similar palynological spectra, with 39 {+-} 4% lycophytes, 9 {+-} 4% sphenophylls, 23 {+-} 4% tree-ferns, 12 4% other ferns and 5 {+-} 3% cordaites. The palynology of the upper part of the investigated succession suggests a shift in vegetation towards one favouring more marattialean tree-ferns, cordaites and conifers, and fewer lycophytes. This correlates with changes in drainage patterns as the alluvial plain migrated seawards and thus changed water tables. No evidence was found to suggest significant climate change at this time.

Potential of radioiodinated anti cancer compounds of natural origin for cancer therapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pandey, U.; Bapat, K.; Samuel, G.; Venkatesh, M.; Sarma, H.D.

2007-01-01

Plumbagin and Quercetin are naturally occurring compounds which exhibit anti-cancerous activity. To evaluate the effect of radioiodination on cytotoxicity, both Plumbagin and Quercetin were radioiodinated with 125 I. 125 I-Plumbagin and 125 I-Quercetin could be prepared in moderate yields and good radiochemical purity and were characterized using reverse phase HPLC. In Swiss mice bearing fibrosarcoma, 125 I-Plumbagin showed a tumor uptake of ∼2.5%ID/g at 3 h p.i. and ∼0.5%ID/g at 24 h p.i on i.v. injection. When injected intratumorally, greater tumor uptake and retention was observed (∼20%ID/g at 3 h p.i. and ∼14%ID/g at 24 h p.i. respectively). (author)

Multi-criteria analysis towards the new end use of recycled water for household laundry: a case study in Sydney.

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Chen, Z; Ngo, H H; Guo, W S; Listowski, A; O'Halloran, K; Thompson, M; Muthukaruppan, M

2012-11-01

This paper aims to put forward several management alternatives regarding the application of recycled water for household laundry in Sydney. Based on different recycled water treatment techniques such as microfiltration (MF), granular activated carbon (GAC) or reverse osmosis (RO), and types of washing machines (WMs), five alternatives were proposed as follows: (1) do nothing scenario; (2) MF+existing WMs; (3) MF+new WMs; (4) MF-GAC+existing WMs; and (5) MF-RO+existing WMs. Accordingly, a comprehensive quantitative assessment on the trade-off among a variety of issues (e.g., engineering feasibility, initial cost, energy consumption, supply flexibility and water savings) was performed over the alternatives. This was achieved by a computer-based multi-criteria analysis (MCA) using the rank order weight generation together with preference ranking organization method for enrichment evaluation (PROMETHEE) outranking techniques. Particularly, the generated 10,000 combinations of weights via Monte Carlo simulation were able to significantly reduce the man-made errors of single fixed set of weights because of its objectivity and high efficiency. To illustrate the methodology, a case study on Rouse Hill Development Area (RHDA), Sydney, Australia was carried out afterwards. The study was concluded by highlighting the feasibility of using highly treated recycled water for existing and new washing machines. This could provide a powerful guidance for sustainable water reuse management in the long term. However, more detailed field trials and investigations are still needed to effectively understand, predict and manage the impact of selected recycled water for new end use alternatives. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Does urban sprawl impact on self-rated health and psychological distress? A multilevel study from Sydney, Australia.

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Jalaludin, Bin B; Garden, Frances L

2011-09-01

Mental health can be influenced by a number of neighbourhood physical and social environmental characteristics. We aimed to determine whether urban sprawl (based on population density) in Sydney, Australia, is associated with self-rated health and psychological distress. We used a cross-sectional multilevel study design. Individual level data on self-rated health and psychological distress were obtained from the 2006 and 2007 NSW Population Health Survey. We did not find significant associations between urban sprawl and self-rated health and psychological distress after controlling for individual and area level covariates. However, positive neighbourhood factors were generally associated with better self-rated health and lower psychological distress but few of these associations were statistically significant.

Development of a model for functional studies of ABCG2 (breast cancer resistance protein) efflux employing a standard BeWo clone (B24).

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Crowe, Andrew; Keelan, Jeffrey A

2012-10-01

Human choriocarcinoma-derived BeWo cells express high levels of breast cancer resistance protein (BCRP/ABCG2) with no functional P-glycoprotein (P-gp) (ABCB1) activity, making them a potential model to study bidirectional ABCG2-mediated drug transport. However, the original BeWo clone (B24) available to researchers does not form confluent monolayers with tight junctions required by the model. Our aim was to adapt culture conditions to attempt to generate confluent BeWo monolayers for drug transport studies using the standard B24 clone. BeWo cells (B24; American Type Culture collection [ATCC]) were cultured in six-well plates or polycarbonate millicell inserts in a number of media formulations, growth supplements, and basement membrane substitutes. Cells were examined for confluence by microscopy, and transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER) was measured daily; monolayer permeability was assessed when TEER had stabilized. Optimal growth rates were achieved in culture conditions consisting of Medium 199 (M199) supplemented with epidermal growth factor (EGF; 20 ng/mL), vitamin supplements, and 10% fetal calf serum (FCS) with collagen coating. A TEER of 170 Ω in 0.6 cm(2) inserts was achieved 2 weeks after seeding under optimal conditions. The cell-impermeable diffusion marker 5(6) carboxy-2,7dichlorodihydrofluorescein (C-DCDHF) had a permeability coefficient of 3.5×10(-6) cm/s, indicative of minimal paracellular permeability. ABCG2 expression, as determined by immunoblotting, remained unaffected by confluency. In conclusion, we describe culture conditions for the B24 BeWo clone that facilitate the formation of monolayers with tighter junctions and reduced paracellular transport compared to previously published models. These growth conditions provide a good model of ABCG2-mediated drug transport in a human placental cell line.

Two co-existing germline mutations P53 V157D and PMS2 R20Q promote tumorigenesis in a familial cancer syndrome.

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Wang, Zuoyun; Sun, Yihua; Gao, Bin; Lu, Yi; Fang, Rong; Gao, Yijun; Xiao, Tian; Liu, Xin-Yuan; Pao, William; Zhao, Yun; Chen, Haiquan; Ji, Hongbin

2014-01-01

Germline mutations are responsible for familial cancer syndromes which account for approximately 5-10% of all types of cancers. These mutations mainly occur at tumor suppressor genes or genome stability genes, such as DNA repair genes. Here we have identified a cancer predisposition family, in which eight members were inflicted with a wide spectrum of cancer including one diagnosed with lung cancer at 22years old. Sequencing analysis of tumor samples as well as histologically normal specimens identified two germline mutations co-existing in the familial cancer syndrome, the mutation of tumor suppressor gene P53 V157D and mismatch repair gene PMS2 R20Q. We further demonstrate that P53 V157D and/or PMS2 R20Q mutant promotes lung cancer cell proliferation. These two mutants are capable of promoting colony formation in soft agar as well as tumor formation in transgenic drosophila system. Collectively, these data have uncovered the important role of co-existing germline P53 and PMS2 mutations in the familial cancer syndrome development. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Copy Number Analysis of 24 Oncogenes: MDM4 Identified as a Putative Marker for Low Recurrence Risk in Non Muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer

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Samanta Salvi

2014-07-01

Full Text Available Patients with non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC generally have a high risk of relapsing locally after primary tumor resection. The search for new predictive markers of local recurrence thus represents an important goal for the management of this disease. We studied the copy number variations (CNVs of 24 oncogenes (MDM4, MYCN, ALK, PDGFRA, KIT, KDR, DHFR, EGFR, MET, SMO, FGFR1, MYC, ABL1, RET, CCND1, CCND2, CDK4, MDM2, AURKB, ERBB2, TOP2A, AURKA, AR and BRAF using multiplex ligation probe amplification technique to verify their role as predictive markers of recurrence. Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue samples from 43 patients who underwent transurethral resection of the bladder (TURB were used; 23 patients had relapsed and 20 were disease-free after 5 years. Amplification frequencies were analyzed for all genes and MDM4 was the only gene that showed significantly higher amplification in non recurrent patients than in recurrent ones (0.65 vs. 0.3; Fisher’s test p = 0.023. Recurrence-free survival analysis confirmed the predictive role of MDM4 (log-rank test p = 0.041. Our preliminary results indicate a putative role for the MDM4 gene in predicting local recurrence of bladder cancer. Confirmation of this hypothesis is needed in a larger cohort of NMIBC patients.

Cultural planning and Chaos Theory in Cyberspace: some notes on a Digital Cultural Atlas Project for Western Sydney

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elaine Lally

2006-01-01

Full Text Available This article explores the intersection between digital technologies and cultural planning. New information technologies ought to enable more powerful planning strategies. Yet a common seductive vision of planning is mirrored by utopian claims for cyberculture, which often fall short of the hoped-for reality. We suggest that one problem is the linear thinking common to mainstream planning and digital thinking, which leads to a cumulative lack of fit with the non-linear (chaotic world of social action. We draw on chaos and complexity theory to reframe planning problems and develop more creative digital strategies in a specific location, Western Sydney, using and adapting Geographic Information Systems.

Colon cancer associated transcripts in human cancers.

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Chen, Yincong; Xie, Haibiao; Gao, Qunjun; Zhan, Hengji; Xiao, Huizhong; Zou, Yifan; Zhang, Fuyou; Liu, Yuchen; Li, Jianfa

2017-10-01

Long non-coding RNAs serve as important regulators in complicated cellular activities, including cell differentiation, proliferation and death. Dysregulation of long non-coding RNAs occurs in the formation and progression of cancers. The family of colon cancer associated transcripts, long non-coding RNAs colon cancer associated transcript-1 and colon cancer associated transcript-2 are known as oncogenes involved in various cancers. Colon cancer associated transcript-1 is a novel lncRNA located in 8q24.2, and colon cancer associated transcript-2 maps to the 8q24.21 region encompassing rs6983267. Colon cancer associated transcripts have close associations with clinical characteristics, such as lymph node metastasis, high TNM stage and short overall survival. Knockdown of them can reverse the malignant phenotypes of cancer cells, including proliferation, migration, invasion and apoptosis. Moreover, they can increase the expression level of c-MYC and oncogenic microRNAs via activating a series of complex mechanisms. In brief, the family of colon cancer associated transcripts may serve as potential biomarkers or therapeutic targets for human cancers. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Exercise and Education Program After Breast Cancer: Benefits on Quality of Life and Symptoms at 3, 6, 12, and 24 Months' Follow-up.

Science.gov (United States)

Leclerc, Anne-France; Slomian, Justine; Jerusalem, Guy; Coucke, Philippe; Bury, Thierry; Deflandre, Dorian; Devos, Martine; Bruyère, Olivier; Foidart-Dessalle, Marguerite; Kaux, Jean-François; Crielaard, Jean-Michel; Maquet, Didier

2018-05-19

Various clinical trials have demonstrated the benefits of physical training offered during and/or after breast cancer treatments. However, given the variety of adverse events that may be encountered, physical training could be combined with psychologic, relational, and social guidance. This kind of multidisciplinary program, as well as its long-term effects, have been little studied so far. Therefore, the objective of our study was to determine the benefits at 3, 6, 12, and 24 months of a 3-month exercise and education program among women after breast cancer treatment. Two hundred nine outpatients treated for primary breast carcinoma were divided into a control group (n = 106) and an experimental group (n = 103) which underwent a 3-month rehabilitation program including physical training and psychoeducational sessions. The assessments, performed before the program and at 3, 6, 12, and 24 months after inclusion, included validated questionnaires on quality of life and symptoms. The analyses revealed an improvement in quality of life and symptoms after the exercise and education program within the experimental group and a maintenance of these improvements during the 2 years of follow-up. These improvements were significantly better than those in the control group, clearly demonstrating that the program has benefits. This trial identified the benefits of a well-detailed 3-month exercise and education program over 24 months' follow-up among women after breast cancer treatment. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The impact of the Internet on cancer outcomes.

Science.gov (United States)

Eysenbach, Gunther

2003-01-01

Each day, more than 12.5 million health-related computer searches are conducted on the World Wide Web. Based on a meta-analysis of 24 published surveys, the author estimates that in the developed world, about 39% of persons with cancer are using the Internet, and approximately 2.3 million persons living with cancer worldwide are online. In addition, 15% to 20% of persons with cancer use the Internet "indirectly" through family and friends. Based on a comprehensive review of the literature, the available evidence on how persons with cancer are using the Internet and the effect of Internet use on persons with cancer is summarized. The author distinguishes four areas of Internet use: communication (electronic mail), community (virtual support groups), content (health information on the World Wide Web), and e-commerce. A conceptual framework summarizing the factors involved in a possible link between Internet use and cancer outcomes is presented, and future areas for research are highlighted.

Environmental and occupational cancer in Argentina: a case-control lung cancer study

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Matos Elena

1998-01-01

Full Text Available The main objective of this study was to analyze the risks for lung cancer associated with occupational exposures in a developing country where lung cancer is the first cause of mortality from cancer in men. The study involved 200 men with lung cancer and 397 hospital controls. The OR for current smokers was 8.5, whereas former smokers displayed an OR of 5.3. The fraction attributable to smoking was 85%. Statistically significant high ORs were observed for employment in the alcoholic beverages industry (4.5, 95% CI:1.02-20.2, sawmills and wood mills (4.6, 95% CI:1.1-18.4, chemicals/plastics (1.8, 95% CI:1.04-3.2, and pottery, glass, or mineral manufactures (3.4, 95% CI:1.1-10.6. Other high, but not statistically significant, risks were observed for employment in leather shoe industry and repair (2.1, 95% CI:0.8-5.4, rubber industries (3.4, 95% CI:0.9-12.4, metal workers, including welders (1.9, 95% CI:0.8-4.4, motor vehicle mechanics (2.0, 95% CI:0.9-4.2, workers in cleaning services (1.9, 95% CI:0.8-4.5, and for workers in agriculture (2.4, 95% CI:0.9-6.0. Although some of the present results may be due to chance, most are consistent with those of previous investigations in other countries.

Cancer incidence among Mormons and non-Mormons in Utah (United States) 1971-85.

Science.gov (United States)

Lyon, J L; Gardner, K; Gress, R E

1994-03-01

We calculated age-adjusted incidence rates per 100,000 by religion (Mormon, non-Mormon) for Utah (United States) using the 49,182 cancer cases occurring between 1971-85. For all causes of cancer, the rate in Utah for male members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS or Mormons) was about 24 percent less than the comparable US rate. There was a 50-percent lower rate of cancers associated with cigarette smoking among LDS men. Non-LDS (NLDS) men in Utah experienced an incidence of smoking-associated cancers slightly higher than other US men. LDS men had an incidence of those cancers not associated with smoking slightly lower than US men, and NLDS men had a 40-percent higher rate than US men because of higher rates of melanoma and cancers of the lip and prostate gland. LDS women had an all-sites cancer rate 24 percent below the comparable US rate, and a 60-percent lower rate of smoking-associated cancers. The incidence of cancer not associated with smoking was 20 percent lower for LDS women compared with US women and was the result of lower rates of cancers of the colon, breast, and uterine cervix. NLDS women had a 13-percent higher incidence of cancers not associated with smoking because of higher rates of cancers of the lip and breast.

Associations of common variants at 1p11.2 and 14q24.1 (RAD51L1) with breast cancer risk and heterogeneity by tumor subtype

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Figueroa, Jonine D; Garcia-Closas, Montserrat; Humphreys, Manjeet

2011-01-01

A genome-wide association study (GWAS) identified single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) at 1p11.2 and 14q24.1 (RAD51L1) as breast cancer susceptibility loci. The initial GWAS suggested stronger effects for both loci for estrogen receptor (ER)-positive tumors. Using data from the Breast Cancer As...

An evaluation of magnetic resonance imaging at the Royal North Shore Hospital of Sydney, 1986-1987

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sorby, W.A.

1989-01-01

The diagnostic accuracy and clinical utility have been evaluated of 2810 consecutive magnetic-resonance-imaging examinations that were performed on a 1.5-T Signa magnetic-resonance-imaging unit at The Royal North Shore Hospital of Sydney between November 1986 and December 1987. The average accuracy of magnetic resonance imaging was 80%, and ranged from 21%-98% in various brain-disease and spinal-disease categories, compared with the average provisional premagnetic-resonance-imaging diagnostic accuracy of 64%, and an average accuracy of computed tomography of 45%. Clinical follow-up at three months after magnetic-resonance-imaging investigation indicated that, as a result of the magnetic-resonance-imaging examination, patient management was altered in 70% of cases, and patient outcome was altered in 62% of cases. 32 refs., 4 tabs

Track and Connect: Enhancing student retention and success at the University of Sydney. A Practice Report

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Sophia Barnes

2015-03-01

Full Text Available In 2012, staff in Student Support Services at The University of Sydney piloted an early intervention program to increase first year student engagement and retention. Founded in best-practice, evidence-based research, the Track and Connect program was developed in response to a study into first year undergraduate student attrition by the University’s Planning and Information Office, in consultation with Counselling and Psychological Services. Track and Connect provides tailored advice and support to students identified as at risk of withdrawal from a key first-year subject by demographic markers and on-time data. Trained senior peers contact these students and provide information, encouragement and service referrals at key decision points throughout the semester. This report outlines the program’s development, implementation and early outcomes, and identifies areas for refinement and expansion.

Pricing the urban cooling benefits of solar panel deployment in Sydney, Australia.

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Ma, S; Goldstein, M; Pitman, A J; Haghdadi, N; MacGill, I

2017-03-06

Cities import energy, which in combination with their typically high solar absorption and low moisture availability generates the urban heat island effect (UHI). The UHI, combined with human-induced warming, makes our densely populated cities particularly vulnerable to climate change. We examine the utility of solar photovoltaic (PV) system deployment on urban rooftops to reduce the UHI, and we price one potential value of this impact. The installation of PV systems over Sydney, Australia reduces summer maximum temperatures by up to 1 °C because the need to import energy is offset by local generation. This offset has a direct environmental benefit, cooling local maximum temperatures, but also a direct economic value in the energy generated. The indirect benefit associated with the temperature changes is between net AUD$230,000 and $3,380,000 depending on the intensity of PV systems deployment. Therefore, even very large PV installations will not offset global warming, but could generate enough energy to negate the need to import energy, and thereby reduce air temperatures. The energy produced, and the benefits of cooling beyond local PV installation sites, would reduce the vulnerability of urban populations and infrastructure to temperature extremes.

Pricing the urban cooling benefits of solar panel deployment in Sydney, Australia

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, S.; Goldstein, M.; Pitman, A. J.; Haghdadi, N.; MacGill, I.

2017-01-01

Cities import energy, which in combination with their typically high solar absorption and low moisture availability generates the urban heat island effect (UHI). The UHI, combined with human-induced warming, makes our densely populated cities particularly vulnerable to climate change. We examine the utility of solar photovoltaic (PV) system deployment on urban rooftops to reduce the UHI, and we price one potential value of this impact. The installation of PV systems over Sydney, Australia reduces summer maximum temperatures by up to 1 °C because the need to import energy is offset by local generation. This offset has a direct environmental benefit, cooling local maximum temperatures, but also a direct economic value in the energy generated. The indirect benefit associated with the temperature changes is between net AUD$230,000 and $3,380,000 depending on the intensity of PV systems deployment. Therefore, even very large PV installations will not offset global warming, but could generate enough energy to negate the need to import energy, and thereby reduce air temperatures. The energy produced, and the benefits of cooling beyond local PV installation sites, would reduce the vulnerability of urban populations and infrastructure to temperature extremes. PMID:28262843

Lung Cancer in Renal Transplant Recipients

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jozicic Mirela

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Introduction. Although the incidence of malignancy has increased after solid organ transplantation, data on lung cancer in this group of patients is scarce. The aim of this study was to determine clinical characteristics and outcome of patients who developed lung cancer after renal transplantation. Methods. Among a cohort of 1658 patients who received a transplant at our institution and were followedup between 1973 and 2014, five patients developed lung cancer. We analyzed risk factors, transplantation characteristics, treatment options and survival. Results. Lung cancer was diagnosed in 5 patients (0.3%. Time to diagnosis after the transplant procedure ranged from 26 to 156 months (mean 115 months. All of them had a smoking history. Tumors were classified as IIB (20%, IIIA (40%, and IV (40%. Histological types included adenocarcinoma (80% and there was one case of sarcomatoid carcinoma (20%. One patient had concomitant thyroid papillary carcinoma. Radiotherapy was applied in 2 patients, 2 underwent chemotherapy (erlotinib and combination of carboplatinum and etopozide in one patient each, and 2 died within one month after the diagnosis from disseminated malignant disease. Patients with stage IIIA survived 14 and 24 months after the diagnosis. The patient with sarcomatoid cancer underwent thoracotomy with a complete resection, lost his graft function and died 7 months after the diagnosis. Conclusion. Lung cancer is relatively rare malignancy in renal transplant recipients, but associated with high mortality. Smoking is a significant risk factor, thus smoking cessation should be promoted among renal transplant recipients, as well as regular screening for lung cancer.

Bench-scale demonstration of treatment technologies for contaminated sediments in Sydney Tar Ponds

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Volchek, K.; Velicogna, D.; Punt, M.; Wong, B.; Weimer, L.; Tsangaris, A.; Brown, C.E.

2003-01-01

A series of bench-scale tests were conducted to determine the capabilities of selected commercially available technologies for treating contaminated sediments from the South Pond of Sydney Tar Ponds. This study was conducted under the umbrella of a technology demonstration program aimed at evaluating technologies to be used in the remediation of such sediments. The following approach was proposed by SAIC Canada for the treatment of the sediments: (1) solvent extraction for the removal of organic contaminants, (2) acid/chelant leaching for the removal of inorganic contaminants such as heavy metals, and (3) plasma hearth process for the destruction of toxic streams resulting from the first two processes. Solvent extraction followed by plasma treatment proved effective for removing and destroying organic contaminants. The removal of metals did not achieve the expected results through leaching. An approach was proposed for treating those sediments based on the results of the study. The approach differed depending on the level of organic content. An assessment of associated process costs for both a pilot-scale field demonstration and a full-scale treatment was provided. 11 tabs., 4 figs

20(S-Protopanaxadiol-Induced Apoptosis in MCF-7 Breast Cancer Cell Line through the Inhibition of PI3K/AKT/mTOR Signaling Pathway

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Hong Zhang

2018-04-01

Full Text Available 20(S-Protopanaxadiol (PPD is one of the major active metabolites of ginseng. It has been reported that 20(S-PPD shows a broad spectrum of antitumor effects. Our research study aims were to investigate whether apoptosis of human breast cancer MCF-7 cells could be induced by 20(S-PPD by targeting the Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/Protein kinase B/Mammalian target of rapamycin (PI3K/AKT/mTOR signal pathway in vitro and in vivo. Cell cycle analysis was performed by Propidium Iodide (PI staining. To overexpress and knock down the expression of mTOR, pcDNA3.1-mTOR and mTOR small interfering RNA (siRNA transient transfection assays were used, respectively. Cell viability and apoptosis were evaluated by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT-test and Annexin V /PI double-staining after transfection. The antitumor effect in vivo was determined by the nude mice xenograft assay. After 24 h of incubation, treatment with 20(S-PPD could upregulate phosphorylated-Phosphatase and tensin homologue deleted on chromosome 10 (p-PTEN expression and downregulate PI3K/AKT/mTOR-pathway protein expression. Moreover, G0/G1 cell cycle arrest in MCF-7 cells could be induced by 20(S-PPD treatment at high concentrations. Furthermore, overexpression or knockdown of mTOR could inhibit or promote the apoptotic effects of 20(S-PPD. In addition, tumor volumes were partially reduced by 20(S-PPD at 100 mg/kg in a MCF-7 xenograft model. Immunohistochemical staining indicated a close relationship between the inhibition of tumor growth and the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signal pathway. PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway-mediated apoptosis may be one of the potential mechanisms of 20(S-PPD treatment.

Molecular basis of the triple negative breast cancer

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Ayse Feyda Nursal

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer in women and more than 1 million breast cancer cases are diagnosed each year all over the world. Breast cancer is a complex and heterogeneous disease in terms of its molecular structure, mutation type, metastase properties, clinical course and therapeutic response. Breast cancer is divided into subtypes based on expression properties of molecular markers as estrogen receptor, progestron receptor, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2. Triple-negative breast cancer is characterized by the lack of tumors that estrogen receptor, progestron receptor, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 gene expression. These type of tumors lead to agressive clinical course due to unresponsiveness to systemic endocrine therapy and poor prognosis. Triple negative breast cancer constitutes 10-20% of all breast cancers. It affects generally young and African-American women. Triple negative breast cancer have several subtypes based on the gene expression properties. The majority of them are basal-like breast cancers. In this review, current literature is revised and summarized with respect to the molecular basis of triple negative cancers. [Archives Medical Review Journal 2015; 24(2.000: 251-259

Distress among young adult cancer survivors: a cohort study.

Science.gov (United States)

Yanez, Betina; Garcia, Sofia F; Victorson, David; Salsman, John M

2013-09-01

Being diagnosed with cancer as a young adult can lead to significant psychological distress and impaired quality of life. Compared to children and older adults diagnosed with cancer, fewer studies have addressed psychological distress among young adult cancer survivors. This study sought to identify the prevalence of, and factors associated with, distress among young adult cancer survivors (ages 18-39). Young adult cancer survivors (N = 335, mean age = 31.8, women = 68.4%) were recruited from an online research panel and stratified by cohort (time postactive treatment: 0-12, 13-24, and 25-60 months). Participants completed measures assessing demographic and clinical characteristics, global impact of cancer, cancer-related education and work interruption, and cancer-specific distress using the impact of event scale (IES). The mean score on the IES (M = 31.0, range = 0-75) was above the cut point of 20, suggesting clinically elevated distress. Analysis of covariance revealed significant main effects for cohort, global impact and cancer-related education/work interruption, and an interaction between cohort and cancer-related education/work interruption on distress. Although there was no significant effect of education/work interruption on distress for those in the 0-12 month cohort (p = .88), survivors in the 13-24 and 25-60 month cohorts reporting education/work interruption were significantly more distressed than those not reporting education/work interruption in the respective cohorts (p cancer survivors face unique challenges. These data underscore the importance of attending to cancer-related distress beyond the completion of treatment and may help inform targeted interventions to prevent or reduce significant distress and related sequelae in this population.

Modelling drivers and distribution of lead and zinc concentrations in soils of an urban catchment (Sydney estuary, Australia).

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Johnson, L E; Bishop, T F A; Birch, G F

2017-11-15

The human population is increasing globally and land use is changing to accommodate for this growth. Soils within urban areas require closer attention as the higher population density increases the chance of human exposure to urban contaminants. One such example of an urban area undergoing an increase in population density is Sydney, Australia. The city also possesses a notable history of intense industrial activity. By integrating multiple soil surveys and covariates into a linear mixed model, it was possible to determine the main drivers and map the distribution of lead and zinc concentrations within the Sydney estuary catchment. The main drivers as derived from the model included elevation, distance to main roads, main road type, soil landscape, population density (lead only) and land use (zinc only). Lead concentrations predicted using the model exceeded the established guideline value of 300mgkg -1 over a large portion of the study area with concentrations exceeding 1000mgkg -1 in the south of the catchment. Predicted zinc did not exceed the established guideline value of 7400mgkg -1 ; however concentrations were higher to the south and west of the study area. Unlike many other studies we considered the prediction uncertainty when assessing the contamination risk. Although the predictions indicate contamination over a large area, the broadness of the prediction intervals suggests that in many of these areas we cannot be sure that the site is contaminated. More samples are required to determine the contaminant distribution with greater precision, especially in residential areas where contamination was highest. Managing sources and addressing areas of elevated lead and zinc concentrations in urban areas has the potential to reduce the impact of past human activities and improve the urban environment of the future. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

[An epidemiological investigation on a food-born outbreak of noroviru caused by Sydney 2012 G II.4 strain].

Science.gov (United States)

Cai, Wen-Feng; Xie, Hua-Ping; Liu, Yu-Fei; Yuan, Jun; Xiao, Xin-Cai; Ding, Peng; Chen, Chun; Zhang, Du; Chen, Jian-Dong; Ma, Xiao-Wei; Geng, Jin-Mei; Lin, Dong-Ming; Lian, Gui-Xiong; Yang, Zhi-Cong

2013-08-01

To identify the source of infection, route of transmission and risk factors related to a cluster of acute gastroenteritis cases in a university of Guangzhou. Cases were identified according to the definition. Descriptive epidemiological approaches and case-control study designs were employed in the analysis. All the samples were tested for norovirus by RT-PCR. Positive samples were subjected to both nucleotide sequence and homology analysis. A total of 141 cases related to norovirus gastroenteritis were identified in January 8 to 21, 2013, with the attack rate as 8.5 per thousand (141/16,600). The peak in morbidity was seen on January 8 to 9. No clustering was found in different classes or dormitories. Results from the case-control study revealed that early cases were infected in Restaurant A (OR = 3.46, 95% CI: 1.07-11.16) and the cold shredded chicken set meal (OR = 17.82, 95% CI: 4.46-78.17) served at lunch (OR = 4.34, 95% CI: 1.18 -17.37) on January 7 was under suspicion. A total of 266 samples, including rectal swabs from the patients and kitchen wokers, leftover food and environmental swabs, were collected. Twenty-one samples (collected from 17 persons) were positive for norovirus by RT-PCR. About 29.6% (8/27) of the kitchen workers in the Restaurant A were tested positive for the virus. The pathogen was identified as the new norovirus genotype II.4 variant, termed Sydney 2012. The virus strains isolated from the patients among student and staff and the kitchen workers were 100% identical in their nucleotide sequence. This was the first reported acute gastroenteritis outbreak caused by the new norovirus genotype II.4 variant, Sydney 2012, which showed that the food was contaminated by the asymptomatic kitchen workers who carried the virus.

Fine-particle Mn and other metals linked to the introduction of MMT into gasoline in Sydney, Australia: Results of a natural experiment

Science.gov (United States)

Cohen, D. D.; Gulson, B. L.; Davis, J. M.; Stelcer, E.; Garton, D.; Hawas, O.; Taylor, A.

Using a combination of accelerator-based ion beam methods we have analysed PM 2.5 particulates for a suite of 21 species (H, C, Na, Al, Si, P, S, Cl, K, Ca, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Br, Pb) to evaluate the contribution to Sydney (New South Wales, Australia) air associated with the introduction of MMT as a replacement for lead. MMT was discontinued in 2004. Teflon filters representing continuous sampling for a 7 year period from 1998 to 2004 were analysed from two sites: one from Mascot, a suburb close to the Central Business District [CBD ( n=718)] and a high trafficked area, and the other, a relatively rural (background) setting at Richmond, ˜20 km west of the CBD ( n=730). Manganese concentrations in air at the background site increased from a mean of 1.5-1.6 ng m -3 to less than 2 ng m -3 at the time of greatest MMT use whereas those at Mascot increased from about 2 to 5 ng m -3. From the maximum values, the Mn showed a steady decrease at both sites concomitant with the decreasing use of MMT. Lead concentrations in air at both sites decreased from 1998 onwards, concomitant with the phase out of leaded gasoline, attained in 2002. Employing previously determined elemental signatures it was possible to adjust effects from season along with auto emissions and soil. A high correlation was obtained for the relationship between Mn in air and lead replacement gasoline use ( R2 0.83) and an improved correlation for Mn/ Al+Si+K and lead replacement gasoline use ( R2 0.93). In addition, using Mn concentrations normalized to background values of Al+Si+K or Ti to account for the lithogenically derived Mn, the proportion of anthropogenic Mn was approximately 70%. The changes for Mn and Pb detected in the particulates are attributed to the before-during-after use of MMT and decreasing use of lead in gasoline. The values measured in Sydney air are well below the reference concentration of 50 ng Mn m -3. The incremental increases in air, however, are larger than

Risk factors for incident myopia in Australian schoolchildren: the Sydney adolescent vascular and eye study.

Science.gov (United States)

French, Amanda N; Morgan, Ian G; Mitchell, Paul; Rose, Kathryn A

2013-10-01

To examine the risk factors for incident myopia in Australian schoolchildren. Population-based, longitudinal cohort study. The Sydney Adolescent Vascular and Eye Study (SAVES) was a 5- to 6-year follow-up of the Sydney Myopia Study (SMS). At follow-up, 2103 children were reexamined: 892 (50.5%) from the younger cohort and 1211 (51.5%) from the older cohort. Of these, 863 in the younger cohort and 1196 in the older cohort had complete refraction data. Cycloplegic autorefraction (cyclopentolate 1%; Canon RK-F1; Canon, Tokyo, Japan) was measured at baseline and follow-up. Myopia was defined as a spherical equivalent refraction of ≤-0.50 diopters (D). Children were classified as having incident myopia if they were nonmyopic at baseline and myopic in either eye at follow-up. A comprehensive questionnaire determined the amount of time children spent outdoors and doing near work per week at baseline, as well as ethnicity, parental myopia, and socioeconomic status. Incident myopia. Children who became myopic spent less time outdoors compared with children who remained nonmyopic (younger cohort, 16.3 vs. 21.0 hours, respectively, Phours, respectively, P=0.001). Children who became myopic performed significantly more near work (19.4 vs. 17.6 hours; P=0.02) in the younger cohort, but not in the older cohort (P=0.06). Children with 1 or 2 parents who were myopic had greater odds of incident myopia (1 parent: odds ratio [OR], 3.2, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.9-5.2; both parents: OR, 3.3, 95% CI, 1.6-6.8) in the younger but not the older cohort. Children of East Asian ethnicity had a higher incidence of myopia compared with children of European Caucasian ethnicity (both Pwork, parental myopia, and ethnicity to the model significantly improved the predictive power (Pwork and parental myopia were additional significant risk factors for myopia only in the younger cohort. The author(s) have no proprietary or commercial interest in any materials discussed in this article

Change in the incidence and anatomic distribution of colorectal adenoma and cancer over a period of 20 years: A single center experience

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Milovanović-Alempijević Tamara

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Background/Aim. In recent years, many studies have demonstrated a proximal shift in the distribution of adenomas and colorectal cancers. The aim of this study was to investigate whether there are differences in the incidence and anatomical distribution of adenomas and colorectal cancers spanning a 20 year time gap. Methods. We performed a retrospective observational study of colorectal adenomas and cancers diagnosed during total colonoscopy in a high volume tertiary care facility in two 1-year periods of time – 1990 and 2010. Results. During the analyzed period, 4,048 colonoscopies were performed, 1,148 were performed in 1990 and 2,900 were done in 2010. The study included 466 patients with adenomas and 121 patients with colorectal cancers. Frequency of proximal adenoma changed from 16.5% to 32.7% (p < 0.001. By analyzing colonoscopies in 2010, an increase in the incidence of adenomas compared to 1990 was noticed. The number of adenomas sized 0–5 mm rose from 32.8% to 56.9% (p < 0.001. Frequency of colon carcinoma changed from 5.3% to 2.0% (p < 0.001. Incidence of cancers in the proximal colon rose from 21.3% to 48.4% (p = 0.002. A higher incidence of cancers in the proximal colon and a lower incidence of distal cancers were observed, while no difference was observed in the incidence of rectal cancers. Conclusion. Presence of proximal colon adenoma and cancer is higher, while the overall incidence of colon cancer is lower. This finding should be taken into account when planning the screening for colorectal cancer.

The Int7G24A variant of transforming growth factor-beta receptor type I is a risk factor for colorectal cancer in the male Spanish population: a case-control study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Castillejo, Adela; Guillén-Ponce, Carmen; Carrato, Alfredo; Soto, José-Luís; Mata-Balaguer, Trinidad; Guarinos, Carla; Castillejo, María-Isabel; Martínez-Cantó, Ana; Barberá, Víctor-Manuel; Montenegro, Paola; Ochoa, Enrique; Lázaro, Rafael

2009-01-01

The Int7G24A variant of transforming growth factor-beta receptor type I (TGFBR1) has been shown to increase the risk for kidney, ovarian, bladder, lung and breast cancers. Its role in colorectal cancer (CRC) has not been established. The aims of this study were to assess the association of TGFBR1*Int7G24A variant with CRC occurrence, patient age, gender, tumour location and stage. We performed a case-control study with 504 cases of sporadic CRC; and 504 non-cancerous age, gender and ethnically matched controls. Genotyping analysis was performed using allelic discrimination assay by real time PCR. The Int7G24A variant was associated with increased CRC incidence in an additive model of inheritance (P for trend = 0.005). No significant differences were found between Int7G24A genotypes and tumour location or stage. Interestingly, the association of the Int7G24A variant with CRC risk was significant in men (odds ratio 4.10 with 95% confidence intervals 1.41-11.85 for homozygous individuals; P for trend = 0.00023), but not in women. We also observed an increase in susceptibility to CRC for individuals aged less than 70 years. Our data suggest that the Int7G24A variant represents a risk factor for CRC in the male Spanish population

Genomic Profiling of Prostate Cancers from African American Men

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Patricia Castro

2009-03-01

Full Text Available African American (AA men have a higher incidence and significantly higher mortality rates from prostate cancer than white men, but the biological basis for these differences are poorly understood. Few studies have been carried out to determine whether there are areas of allelic loss or gain in prostate cancers from AA men that are over-represented in or specific to this group. To better understand the molecular mechanisms of prostate cancer in AA men, we have analyzed 20 prostate cancers from AA men with high-density single-nucleotide polymorphism arrays to detect genomic copy number alterations. We identified 17 regions showing significant loss and 4 regions with significant gains. Most of these regions had been linked to prostate cancer by previous studies of copy number alterations of predominantly white patients. We identified a novel region of loss at 4p16.3, which has been shown to be lost in breast, colon, and bladder cancers. Comparison of our primary tumors with tumors from white patients from a previously published cohort with similar pathological characteristics showed higher frequency of loss of at numerous loci including 6q13-22, 8p21, 13q13-14, and 16q11-24 and gains of 7p21 and 8q24, all of which had higher frequencies in metastatic lesions in this previously published cohort. Thus, the clinically localized cancers from AA men more closely resembled metastatic cancers from white men. This difference may in part explain the more aggressive clinical behavior of prostate cancer in AA men.

Premenstrual dysphoric disorder symptom cluster improvement by cycle with the combined oral contraceptive ethinylestradiol 20 mcg plus drospirenone 3 mg administered in a 24/4 regimen.

Science.gov (United States)

Marr, Joachim; Niknian, Minoo; Shulman, Lee P; Lynen, Richard

2011-07-01

A combined oral contraceptive comprising ethinylestradiol (EE) 20 mcg/drospirenone 3 mg in a 24/4 regimen has been clinically shown to alleviate the symptoms associated with premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). However, previous studies did not report data according to cycle-by-cycle improvement. This was a subanalysis of a Phase III, double-blind, multicenter, United States-based study. Women with confirmed PMDD were randomized to EE 20 mcg/drospirenone 3 mg 24/4 or placebo for three treatment cycles. Ten of the 21 emotional and physical items on the Daily Record of Severity of Problems scale were grouped to define three symptom clusters: (a) negative emotions, (b) food cravings and (c) water retention-related symptoms. The change from baseline at each treatment cycle was compared between groups using a weighted analysis of covariance model. The full analysis set comprised 449 women. Daily Record of Severity of Problems scores for each symptom cluster were significantly reduced from baseline with both EE 20 mcg/drospirenone 3 mg 24/4 and placebo (pemotions, food cravings and water retention-related symptoms to a significantly greater extent than placebo during all three cycles of treatment. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[Home parenteral nutrition for terminal stage of cancer patient].

Science.gov (United States)

Takamura, S; Sakuyama, T; Nakamura, Y; Takahashi, N; Hattori, M

1997-12-01

In the last 6 years, we have experienced 20 cancer patients who received home parenteral nutrition for terminal stage. The patients had 13 gastric cancers, 3 esophageal cancers and 5 others. The prognosis of upper G-I cancer is known to be poorer than that of colon cancer. The home care of our cases, the gastric cancer lasted 25 days on average, which was shorter than others. So the home care for patients in the terminal stage of gastric cancer is very short. Therefore we decide the home care for the terminal stage of gastric cancer as soon as possible. We conducted a questionnaire survey of our cases and family. We finally found that the most important thing is the safety of patient for the maintenance of home care. Our home care system is made up of a 3-way relationship among the patient, support system and doctor. The doctor is on call for the problems of the patient for 24 hours. Therefore, we believe that this system is comfortable for both the patient and family.

Outcome of 24 years national surveillance in different hereditary colorectal cancer subgroups leading to more individualised surveillance

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lindberg, Lars Joachim; Ladelund, Steen; Frederiksen, Birgitte Lidegaard

2017-01-01

BACKGROUND: Individuals with hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC) have a high risk of colorectal cancer (CRC). The benefits of colonic surveillance in Lynch syndrome and Amsterdam-positive (familial CRC type X familial colorectal cancer type X (FCCTX)) families are clear; only...... in the Lynch subgroup (2.0%) than in any other subgroup (0.0-0.4%, pLynch (3.6%) and non-Lynch (2.3-3.9%, p=0.28) subgroups. Non-Lynch Amsterdam-positive and Amsterdam-negative families were similar in their CRC (0.1-0.4%, p=0.......072), advanced adenoma (2.3-3.3%, p=0.32) and simple adenoma (8.4-9.9%, p=0.43) incidence. In moderate-risk families, no CRC and only one advanced adenoma was found. CONCLUSIONS: The risk of CRC in Lynch families is considerable, despite biannual surveillance. We suggest less frequent and more individualised...

Frequency of cancer in patients operated on for acute peripheral arterial thrombosis and the impact on prognosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Nicolajsen, Chalotte Winther; Dickenson, Maja Holch; Budtz-Lilly, Jacob; Eldrup, Nikolaj

2015-12-01

Little is known about acute peripheral arterial thrombosis in patients with concomitant cancer. Small studies suggest that revascularization in this patient group is associated with thrombosis and increased risk of amputation and death. We investigated the frequency of cancer in patients operated on for acute peripheral arterial thrombosis and the long-term risk of amputation, mortality, myocardial infarction, and stroke in a national cohort. This was a prospective case/noncase study comprising all Danish citizens undergoing vascular surgery for acute arterial thrombosis from 1986 to 2012 with up to 26 years of follow-up. A total of 7840 patients were treated surgically for acute arterial thrombosis; 2384 (30.4%) were previously diagnosed with cancer or developed cancer during the observation period. Risk of amputation was not significantly different in patients with or without cancer, except in patients with cancer diagnosed <24 months before acute limb ischemia (hazard ratio, 2.0). Mortality was significantly greater in all patients having or developing cancer within 24 months after surgery (hazard ratio, 1.2-2.2). The frequencies of myocardial infarction and stroke were similar to those among patients without cancer. One of five patients operated on for acute limb ischemia has a diagnosis of cancer, and a further 3.4% will develop cancer within 24 months. The data further show that patients with acute limb ischemia and concomitant cancer can be successfully revascularized and that the majority of these patients preserve their limb. Cancer should therefore not contravene interventional treatment. Copyright © 2015 Society for Vascular Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

HET0016, a selective inhibitor of 20-HETE synthesis, decreases pro-angiogenic factors and inhibits growth of triple negative breast cancer in mice.

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Thaiz Ferraz Borin

Full Text Available A selective inhibitor of 20-HETE synthesis, HET0016, has been reported to inhibit angiogenesis. 20-HETE has been known as a second mitogenic messenger of angiogenesis inducing growth factors. HET0016 effects were analyzed on MDA-MB-231 derived breast cancer in mouse and in vitro cell line. MDA-MB-231 tumor cells were implanted in animals' right flank and randomly assigned to early (1 and 2, starting treatments on day 0, or delayed groups (3 and 4 on day 8 after implantation of tumor. Animals received HET0016 (10 mg/kg treatment via intraperitoneal injection for 5 days/week for either 3 or 4 weeks. Control group received vehicle treatment. Tumor sizes were measured on days 7, 14, 21, and 28 and the animals were euthanized on day 22 and 29. Proteins were extracted from the whole tumor and from cells treated with 10 µM HET0016 for 4 and 24 hrs. Protein array kits of 20 different cytokines/factors were used. ELISA was performed to observe the HIF-1α and MMP-2 protein expression. Other markers were confirmed by IHC. HET0016 significantly inhibited tumor growth in all treatment groups at all-time points compared to control (p<0.05. Tumor growth was completely inhibited on three of ten animals on early treatment group. Treatment groups showed significantly lower expression of pro-angiogenic factors compared to control at 21 days; however, there was no significant difference in HIF-1α expression after treatments. Similar results were found in vitro at 24 hrs of HET0016 treatment. After 28 days, significant increase of angiogenin, angiopoietin-1/2, EGF-R and IGF-1 pro-angiogenic factors were found (p<0.05 compared to control, as well as an higher intensity of all factors were found when compared to that of 21 day's data, suggesting a treatment resistance. HET0016 inhibited tumor growth by reducing expression of different set of pro-angiogenic factors; however, a resistance to treatment seemed to happen after 21 days.

Concurrent chemoradiotherapy for advanced cervical cancer. A pilot study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kodama, Junichi; Hashimoto, Ichiro; Seki, Noriko; Hongo, Atsushi; Mizutani, Yasushi; Miyagi, Yasunari; Yoshinouchi, Mitsuo; Kudo, Takafumi

2001-01-01

Recently, attempts have made to use radiotherapy in combination with chemotherapy in various solid tumors including cervical cancer. Twenty-four patients with locally advanced cervical cancer were treated with concurrent Carboplatin (16-24 mg/m 2 /day) or Nedaplatin (20 mg/m 2 /week) and conventional radiotherapy. Of 13 evaluable patients, there were nine complete responders and four partial responders. There was no renal damage or grade 4 hematological toxicity. Gastrointestinal adverse reactions were mild. One patient had grade 3 dermatologic toxicity after delayed radiation therapy. This pilot study suggests that daily Carboplatin or weekly Nedaplatin administered with standard radiation therapy is safe, well-tolerated, and thus may be useful as a radiation sensitizer in the treatment of locally advanced cervical cancer. (author)

Cancer Registry Data

Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Podcasts

2017-05-24

Dr. Loria Pollack, a Senior Medical Epidemiologist, talks about the importance of cancer registry data to understanding how cancer affects the United States–now and in the future.  Created: 5/24/2017 by National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (NCCDPHP).   Date Released: 5/24/2017.

Isolation of a new anti-inflammatory 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27-octanorcucurbitacin-type triterpene from Ibervillea sonorae.

Science.gov (United States)

Jardón-Delgado, Angel; Magos-Guerrero, Gil Alfonso; Martínez-Vázquez, Mariano

2014-01-01

A new cucurbitane-type triterpene, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27-octanorcucurbita-5-ene-3, 11, 16-trione (1), named kinoin D, was isolated from the roots of the medicinal plant Ibervillea sonorae, (wereque). The structure of 1 was established on the basis of extensive NMR and MS studies. In addition, the known kinoins B (3) and C (5) were isolated, as were 16alpha-20,25-trihydroxy-3alpha-(2-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosiyl-D-glucopyranosyloxy)-(10alpha)-cucurbit-5-en-11,22-dione (6), (22S)-16alpha,22-diacetoxy-20,25-dihydroxy-3alpha-[3,4,6-tri-O-acetyl-2-O-(2,3,4-tri-O-acetyl-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl)-beta-glucopyranosyl]-(10alpha)-cucurbita-5,23t-dien-11-one (7) and 16alpha-acetoxy-20,25-dihydroxy-3alpha-[3,4,6-tri-O-acetyl-2-O-(2,3,4,-tri-O-acetyl-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl)-beta-D-glucopyranosyl]-(10alpha)-cucurbita-5-ene-11,22-dione (8). Compound 1 exhibited anti-inflammatory activity in TPA-induced edema in mice.

In vivo and in vitro suppression of hepatocellular carcinoma by EF24, a curcumin analog.

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Haitao Liu

Full Text Available The synthetic compound 3,5-bis(2-flurobenzylidenepiperidin-4-one (EF24 is a potent analog of curcumin that exhibits enhanced biological activity and bioavailability without increasing toxicity. EF24 exerts antitumor activity by arresting the cell cycle and inducing apoptosis, suppressing many types of cancer cells in vitro. The antiproliferative and antiangiogenic properties of EF24 provide theoretical support for its development and application to liver cancers. We investigated the in vitro and in vivo activities of EF24 on liver cancer to better understand its therapeutic effects and mechanisms. EF24 induced significant apoptosis and G2/M-phase cell cycle arrest in mouse liver cancer cell lines, Hepa1-6 and H22. The expression levels of G2/M cell cycle regulating factors, cyclin B1 and Cdc2, were significantly decreased, pp53, p53, and p21 were significantly increased in EF24-treated cells. In addition, EF24 treatment significantly reduced Bcl-2 concomitant with an increase in Bax, enhanced the release of cytochrome c from the mitochondria into the cytosol, resulting in an upregulation of cleaved-caspase-3, which promoted poly (ADP-ribose polymerase cleavage. EF24-treated cells also displayed decreases in phosphorylated Akt, phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase and vascular endothelial growth factor. Our in vitro protein expression data were confirmed in vivo using a subcutaneous hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC tumor model. This mouse HCC model confirmed that total body weight was unchanged following EF24 treatment, although tumor weight was significantly decreased. Using an orthotopic HCC model, EF24 significantly reduced the liver/body weight ratio and relative tumor areas compared to the control group. In situ detection of apoptotic cells and quantification of Ki-67, a biomarker of cell proliferation, all indicated significant tumor suppression with EF24 treatment. These results suggest that EF24 exhibits anti-tumor activity

The Int7G24A variant of transforming growth factor-beta receptor type I is a risk factor for colorectal cancer in the male Spanish population: a case-control study

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Lázaro Rafael

2009-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The Int7G24A variant of transforming growth factor-beta receptor type I (TGFBR1 has been shown to increase the risk for kidney, ovarian, bladder, lung and breast cancers. Its role in colorectal cancer (CRC has not been established. The aims of this study were to assess the association of TGFBR1*Int7G24A variant with CRC occurrence, patient age, gender, tumour location and stage. Methods We performed a case-control study with 504 cases of sporadic CRC; and 504 non-cancerous age, gender and ethnically matched controls. Genotyping analysis was performed using allelic discrimination assay by real time PCR. Results The Int7G24A variant was associated with increased CRC incidence in an additive model of inheritance (P for trend = 0.005. No significant differences were found between Int7G24A genotypes and tumour location or stage. Interestingly, the association of the Int7G24A variant with CRC risk was significant in men (odds ratio 4.10 with 95% confidence intervals 1.41-11.85 for homozygous individuals; P for trend = 0.00023, but not in women. We also observed an increase in susceptibility to CRC for individuals aged less than 70 years. Conclusion Our data suggest that the Int7G24A variant represents a risk factor for CRC in the male Spanish population.

Performance of computer-aided detection in false-negative screening mammograms of breast cancers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Han, Boo Kyung; Kim, Ji Young; Shin, Jung Hee; Choe, Yeon Hyeon

2004-01-01

To analyze retrospectively the abnormalities visible on the false-negative screening mammograms of patients with breast cancer and to determine the performance of computer-aided detection (CAD) in the detection of cancers. Of 108 consecutive cases of breast cancer diagnosed over a period of 6 years, of which previous screening mammograms were available, 32 retrospectively visible abnormalities (at which locations cancer later developed) were found in the previous mammograms, and which were originally reported as negative. These 32 patients ranged in age from 38 to 72 years (mean 52 years). We analyzed their previous mammographic findings, and assessed the ability of CAD to mark cancers in previous mammograms, according to the clinical presentation, the type of abnormalities and the mammographic parenchymal density. In these 32 previous mammograms of breast cancers (20 asymptomatic, 12 symptomatic), the retrospectively visible abnormalities were identified as densities in 22, calcifications in 8, and densities with calcifications in 2. CAD marked abnormalities in 20 (63%) of the 32 cancers with false-negative screening mammograms; 14 (70%) of the 20 subsequent screening-detected cancers, 5 (50%) of the 10 interval cancers, and 1 (50%) of the 2 cancers palpable after the screening interval. CAD marked 12 (50%) of the 24 densities and 9 (90%) of the 10 calcifications. CAD marked abnormalities in 7 (50%) of the 14 predominantly fatty breasts, and 13 (72%) of the 18 dense breasts. CAD-assisted diagnosis could potentially decrease the number of false-negative mammograms caused by the failure to recognize the cancer in the screening program, although its usefulness in the prevention of interval cancers appears to be limited

Body mass index and lung cancer risk in never smokers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kagohashi, K.; Satoh, H.; Kurishima, K.; Ishikawa, H.; Ohtsuka, M.

2006-01-01

Background. A relationship between body mass index (BMI) and lung cancer risk in never smokers has not been reported precisely. To evaluate the risk of lung cancer associated with BMI in never smokers, we conducted a case-control study. Methods. The relationship between BMI and the risk of lung cancer in never smokers was investigated in a study of 204 lung cancer cases and 398 controls admitted between 1987 and 2005. Controls were selected from hospitalized age-matched never-smoking patients with non-malignant respiratory disease. Results. When compared with BMI of the leanest group (BMI<20.8) in men, no inverse association between BMI and lung cancer was observed after the adjustment for age (the second BMI group: BMI≥ 20.8 to < 22.9; p=0.683, the third BMI group: BMI≥ 22.9 to < 24.9; p=0.745, and the highest BMI group: BMI≥ 25.0; p=0.327). Similarly, no association in women was found between BMI and lung cancer in these three BMI groups (the second group, p=0.639; the third group, p=0.667; the highest group, p=0.978) when compared with that of the leanest BMI group. Conclusions. Our present study indicated that the association between leanness and the risk of lung cancer might be influenced by other factors such as smoking. (author)

"There's a housing crisis going on in Sydney for Aboriginal people": focus group accounts of housing and perceived associations with health.

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Andersen, Melanie J; Williamson, Anna B; Fernando, Peter; Redman, Sally; Vincent, Frank

2016-05-24

Poor housing is widely cited as an important determinant of the poor health status of Aboriginal Australians, as for indigenous peoples in other wealthy nations with histories of colonisation such as Canada, the United States of America and New Zealand. While the majority of Aboriginal Australians live in urban areas, most research into housing and its relationship with health has been conducted with those living in remote communities. This study explores the views of Aboriginal people living in Western Sydney about their housing circumstances and what relationships, if any, they perceive between housing and health. Four focus groups were conducted with clients and staff of an Aboriginal community-controlled health service in Western Sydney (n = 38). Inductive, thematic analysis was conducted using framework data management methods in NVivo10. Five high-level themes were derived: the battle to access housing; secondary homelessness; overcrowding; poor dwelling conditions; and housing as a key determinant of health. Participants associated their challenging housing experiences with poor physical health and poor social and emotional wellbeing. Housing issues were said to affect people differently across the life course; participants expressed particular concern that poor housing was harming the health and developmental trajectories of many urban Aboriginal children. Housing was perceived as a pivotal determinant of health and wellbeing that either facilitates or hinders prospects for full and healthy lives. Many of the specific health concerns participants attributed to poor housing echo existing epidemiological research findings. These findings suggest that housing may be a key intervention point for improving the health of urban Aboriginal Australians.

Prostate cancer risk locus at 8q24 as a regulatory hub by physical interactions with multiple genomic loci across the genome.

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Du, Meijun; Yuan, Tiezheng; Schilter, Kala F; Dittmar, Rachel L; Mackinnon, Alexander; Huang, Xiaoyi; Tschannen, Michael; Worthey, Elizabeth; Jacob, Howard; Xia, Shu; Gao, Jianzhong; Tillmans, Lori; Lu, Yan; Liu, Pengyuan; Thibodeau, Stephen N; Wang, Liang

2015-01-01

Chromosome 8q24 locus contains regulatory variants that modulate genetic risk to various cancers including prostate cancer (PC). However, the biological mechanism underlying this regulation is not well understood. Here, we developed a chromosome conformation capture (3C)-based multi-target sequencing technology and systematically examined three PC risk regions at the 8q24 locus and their potential regulatory targets across human genome in six cell lines. We observed frequent physical contacts of this risk locus with multiple genomic regions, in particular, inter-chromosomal interaction with CD96 at 3q13 and intra-chromosomal interaction with MYC at 8q24. We identified at least five interaction hot spots within the predicted functional regulatory elements at the 8q24 risk locus. We also found intra-chromosomal interaction genes PVT1, FAM84B and GSDMC and inter-chromosomal interaction gene CXorf36 in most of the six cell lines. Other gene regions appeared to be cell line-specific, such as RRP12 in LNCaP, USP14 in DU-145 and SMIN3 in lymphoblastoid cell line. We further found that the 8q24 functional domains more likely interacted with genomic regions containing genes enriched in critical pathways such as Wnt signaling and promoter motifs such as E2F1 and TCF3. This result suggests that the risk locus may function as a regulatory hub by physical interactions with multiple genes important for prostate carcinogenesis. Further understanding genetic effect and biological mechanism of these chromatin interactions will shed light on the newly discovered regulatory role of the risk locus in PC etiology and progression. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Intestinal stoma in patients with colorectal cancer from the perspective of 20-year period of clinical observation.

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Banaszkiewicz, Zbigniew; Woda, Łukasz P; Zwoliński, Tomasz; Tojek, Krzysztof; Jarmocik, Paweł; Jawień, Arkadiusz

2015-01-01

Intestinal stoma is a procedure most often performed in patients with colorectal cancer. To identify the percentage of patients with colorectal cancer in which the intestinal stoma was performed. We retrospectively analysed 443 patients treated during a 20-year period (1994-2013) due to colorectal cancer, in which the intestinal stoma was made during the first surgical intervention. In the second analysed decade, a significant decrease in the percentage of created stomas, definitive stomas in particular, was observed. Stomas were made significantly more often in patients with a tumour located in the rectum, the left half of the colon, and in patients undergoing urgent surgeries. An increased incidence of intestinal stomas was associated with a higher severity of illness and higher proportion of unresectable and non-radical procedures. The definitive stomas were significantly more often made in men and in patients with tumours located in the rectum, whereas temporary stomas were created significantly more often in patients undergoing urgent operations. In the last decade (2004-2013) the number of intestinal stomas in patients operated due to colorectal cancer was significantly reduced.

Ethnomedicine and dominant medicine in multicultural Australia: a critical realist reflection on the case of Korean-Australian immigrants in Sydney

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Ballis Harry

2007-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Viewed through the micro focus of an interpretive lens, medical anthropology remains mystified because interpretivist explanations seriously downplay the given context in which individual health seeking-behaviours occur. This paper draws upon both the interpretivist and political economy perspectives to reflect on the ethno medical practices within the Korean-Australian community in Sydney. Methods We draw on research data collected between 1995 and 1997 for an earlier study of the use of biomedical and traditional medicine by Korean-Australians in Sydney. A total of 120 interviews were conducted with a range of participants, including biomedical doctors, traditional health professionals, Korean community leaders and Korean migrants representing a range of socio-economic backgrounds and migration patterns. Results and Discussion First, the paper highlights the extent to which the social location of migrants in a host society alters or restructures their initial cultural practices they bring with them. Second, taking hanbang medicine in the Korean-Australian community as an illustrative case, the paper explores the transformation of the dominant biomedicine in Australia as a result of the influx of ethnomedicine in the era of global capitalism and global movement. Conclusion In seeking to explain the popularity and supply of alternative health care, it is important to go beyond the culture of each kind of health care itself and to take into consideration the changes occurring at societal, national and global levels as well as consequential individual response to the changes. New social conditions influence the choice of health care methods, including herbal/alternative medicine, health foods and what are often called New Age therapies.

Ethnomedicine and dominant medicine in multicultural Australia: a critical realist reflection on the case of Korean-Australian immigrants in Sydney

Science.gov (United States)

Han, Gil-Soo; Ballis, Harry

2007-01-01

Background Viewed through the micro focus of an interpretive lens, medical anthropology remains mystified because interpretivist explanations seriously downplay the given context in which individual health seeking-behaviours occur. This paper draws upon both the interpretivist and political economy perspectives to reflect on the ethno medical practices within the Korean-Australian community in Sydney. Methods We draw on research data collected between 1995 and 1997 for an earlier study of the use of biomedical and traditional medicine by Korean-Australians in Sydney. A total of 120 interviews were conducted with a range of participants, including biomedical doctors, traditional health professionals, Korean community leaders and Korean migrants representing a range of socio-economic backgrounds and migration patterns. Results and Discussion First, the paper highlights the extent to which the social location of migrants in a host society alters or restructures their initial cultural practices they bring with them. Second, taking hanbang medicine in the Korean-Australian community as an illustrative case, the paper explores the transformation of the dominant biomedicine in Australia as a result of the influx of ethnomedicine in the era of global capitalism and global movement. Conclusion In seeking to explain the popularity and supply of alternative health care, it is important to go beyond the culture of each kind of health care itself and to take into consideration the changes occurring at societal, national and global levels as well as consequential individual response to the changes. New social conditions influence the choice of health care methods, including herbal/alternative medicine, health foods and what are often called New Age therapies. PMID:17201916

HABP2 p.G534E variant in patients with family history of thyroid and breast cancer

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Pinheiro, Maísa; Drigo, Sandra Aparecida; Tonhosolo, Renata

2017-01-01

Familial Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma (PTC) has been described as a hereditary predisposition cancer syndrome associated with mutations in candidate genes including HABP2. Two of 20 probands from families with history of PTC and breast carcinoma (BC) were evaluated by whole exome sequencing (WES...... familial PTC cases. Genes potentially associated with deregulation of the extracellular matrix organization pathway (CTSB, TNXB, COL4A3, COL16A1, COL24A1, COL5A2, NID1, LOXL2, MMP11, TRIM24 and MUSK) and DNA repair function (NBN and MSH2) were detected by WES, suggesting that other cancer-associated genes...

Cancer care coordinators in stage III colon cancer: a cost-utility analysis.

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Blakely, Tony; Collinson, Lucie; Kvizhinadze, Giorgi; Nair, Nisha; Foster, Rachel; Dennett, Elizabeth; Sarfati, Diana

2015-08-05

There is momentum internationally to improve coordination of complex care pathways. Robust evaluations of such interventions are scarce. This paper evaluates the cost-utility of cancer care coordinators for stage III colon cancer patients, who generally require surgery followed by chemotherapy. We compared a hospital-based nurse cancer care coordinator (CCC) with 'business-as-usual' (no dedicated coordination service) in stage III colon cancer patients in New Zealand. A discrete event microsimulation model was constructed to estimate quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) and costs from a health system perspective. We used New Zealand data on colon cancer incidence, survival, and mortality as baseline input parameters for the model. We specified intervention input parameters using available literature and expert estimates. For example, that a CCC would improve the coverage of chemotherapy by 33% (ranging from 9 to 65%), reduce the time to surgery by 20% (3 to 48%), reduce the time to chemotherapy by 20% (3 to 48%), and reduce patient anxiety (reduction in disability weight of 33%, ranging from 0 to 55%). Much of the direct cost of a nurse CCC was balanced by savings in business-as-usual care coordination. Much of the health gain was through increased coverage of chemotherapy with a CCC (especially older patients), and reduced time to chemotherapy. Compared to 'business-as-usual', the cost per QALY of the CCC programme was $NZ 18,900 (≈ $US 15,600; 95% UI: $NZ 13,400 to 24,600). By age, the CCC intervention was more cost-effective for colon cancer patients costs, meaning the cost-effectiveness was roughly comparable between ethnic groups. Such a nurse-led CCC intervention in New Zealand has acceptable cost-effectiveness for stage III colon cancer, meaning it probably merits funding. Each CCC programme will differ in its likely health gains and costs, making generalisation from this evaluation to other CCC interventions difficult. However, this evaluation suggests

CYP24A1 inhibition facilitates the anti-tumor effect of vitamin D3 on colorectal cancer cells

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Kósa, János P; Horváth, Péter; Wölfling, János; Kovács, Dóra; Balla, Bernadett; Mátyus, Péter; Horváth, Evelin; Speer, Gábor; Takács, István; Nagy, Zsolt; Horváth, Henrik; Lakatos, Péter

2013-01-01

AIM: The effects of vitamin D3 have been investigated on various tumors, including colorectal cancer (CRC). 25-hydroxyvitamin-D3-24-hydroxylase (CYP24A1), the enzyme that inactivates the active vitamin D3 metabolite 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25-D3), is considered to be the main enzyme determining the biological half-life of 1,25-D3. During colorectal carcinogenesis, the expression and concentration of CYP24A1 increases significantly, suggesting that this phenomenon could be responsible for the proposed efficacy of 1,25-D3 in the treatment of CRC. The aim of this study was to investigate the anti-tumor effects of vitamin D3 on the human CRC cell line Caco-2 after inhibition of the cytochrome P450 component of CYP24A1 activity. METHODS: We examined the expression of CYP24A1 mRNA and the effects of 1,25-D3 on the cell line Caco-2 after inhibition of CYP24A1. Cell viability and proliferation were determined by means of sulforhodamine-B staining and bromodeoxyuridine incorporation, respectively, while cytotoxicity was estimated via the lactate dehydrogenase content of the cell culture supernatant. CYP24A1 expression was measured by real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. A number of tetralone compounds were synthesized to investigate their CP24A1 inhibitory activity. RESULTS: In response to 1,25-D3, CYP24A1 mRNA expression was enhanced significantly, in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Caco-2 cell viability and proliferation were not influenced by the administration of 1,25-D3 alone, but were markedly reduced by co-administration of 1,25-D3 and KD-35, a CYP24A1-inhibiting tetralone. Our data suggest that the mechanism of action of co-administered KD-35 and 1,25-D3 does not involve a direct cytotoxic effect, but rather the inhibition of cell proliferation. CONCLUSION: These findings demonstrate that the selective inhibition of CYP24A1 by compounds such as KD-35 may be a new approach for enhancement of the anti-tumor effect of 1,25-D3 on CRC. PMID

Morbidity of ischemic heart disease in early breast cancer 15-20 years after adjuvant radiotherapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gyenes, G.; Rutqvist, L.E.; Fornander, T.; Carlens, P.

1994-01-01

The purpose of this study was to assess the cardiac side effects, primarily the occurrence of ischemic heart disease, in symptom-free patients with early breast cancer treated with radiotherapy. Thirty-seven survivors of a former randomized study of early breast cancer were examined. Twenty patients irradiated pre- or postoperatively for left sided disease (study group patients) were compared with 17 controls who were either treated for right sided disease, or were nonirradiated patients. Radiotherapy was randomized in the original study; either tangential field 60 Co, or electron-therapy was delivered. Echocardiography and bicycle ergometry stress test with 99m Tc SestaMIBI myocardial perfusion scintigraphy were carried out and the patients' major risk factors for ischemic heart disease were also listed. Our results showed a significant difference between the scintigraphic findings of the two groups. Five of the 20 study group patients (25%), while none of the 17 controls exhibited some kind of significant defects on scintigraphy, indicating ischemic heart disease (p < 0.05). No deterioration in left ventricular systolic and/or diastolic function could be detected by echocardiography. Radiotherapy for left sided breast cancer with the mentioned treatment technique may present as an independent risk factor in the long-term development of ischemic heart disease, while left ventricular dysfunction could not be related to the previous irradiation. The authors emphasize the need to optimize adjuvant radiotherapy for early breast cancer by considering the dose both to the heart as well as the cancer. 39 refs., 4 tabs

Cancer incidence and survival in Lynch syndrome patients receiving colonoscopic and gynaecological surveillance

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Møller, Pål; Seppälä, Toni; Bernstein, Inge

2017-01-01

study of patients carrying Lynch syndrome-associated mutations affecting MLH1, MSH2, MSH6 or PMS2. Standardised information on surveillance, cancers and outcomes were collated in an Oracle relational database and analysed by age, sex and mutated gene. RESULTS: 1942 mutation carriers without previous...... carriers. Among first cancer detected in each patient the colorectal cancer cumulative incidences at 70 years by gene were 46%, 35%, 20% and 10% for MLH1, MSH2, MSH6 and PMS2 mutation carriers, respectively. The equivalent cumulative incidences for endometrial cancer were 34%, 51%, 49% and 24......%; and for ovarian cancer 11%, 15%, 0% and 0%. Ten-year crude survival was 87% after any cancer, 91% if the first cancer was colorectal, 98% if endometrial and 89% if ovarian. CONCLUSIONS: The four Lynch syndrome-associated genes had different penetrance and expression. Colorectal cancer occurred frequently despite...

The analysis of a large Danish family supports the presence of a susceptibility locus for adenoma and colorectal cancer on chromosome 11q24

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rudkjøbing, Laura Aviaja; Eiberg, Hans; Mikkelsen, Hanne Birte

2015-01-01

Hereditary colorectal cancer accounts for approximately 30 % of all colorectal cancers, but currently only 5 % of these families can be explained by highly penetrant, inherited mutations. In the remaining 25 % it is not possible to perform a gene test to identify the family members who would...... benefit from prophylactic screening. Consequently, all family members are asked to follow a screening program. The purpose of this study was to localize a new gene which causes colorectal cancer. We performed a linkage analysis using data from a SNP6.0 chip in one large family with 12 affected family...... areas on chromosome 2 and chromosome 11 with the highest possible LOD scores of 2.6. Two other studies have identified 11q24 as a candidate area for colorectal cancer susceptibility and this area is supported by our results....

Clinical investigation of serum CEA in 120 patients with colorectal cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Yusheng; Yang Liting; Yu Yunyun; Yu Suqing; Ma Shuqin

2003-01-01

To investigate the correlation between serum CEA and colorectal cancer, the pre-and postoperative serum CEA in 120 patients with colorectal cancer was measured by RIA, with other 24 cases of healthy donors as control. The results showed that serum CEA in control group and patient group were 9.84±2.44 ng/mL, 38, 85±19.21 ng/mL respectively, while colonic cancer group 37.43±18.58 ng/mL, rectal cancer group 39.72±20.67 ng/mL. There was significant difference between patient group and control group (P 0.05). Serum CEA of 37 among 44 cases with positive CEA findings decreased to 11.21±3.65 ng/mL during two months follow-up post-operation, whereas 50.63±24.38 ng/mL in 7/44 cases undergoing non-radical operation. The serum CEA of 41 recurrence cases was 43.12±17.15 ng/mL at six-year post-operation, with 87.80% of three-year recurrence rate. It suggested that the serum CEA test is a convenient method for colorectal cancer to preoperatively diagnose it, evaluate postoperative curative effect and detect tumor recurrence and metastasis

Risk of Salivary Gland Cancer After Childhood Cancer: A Report From the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study

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Boukheris, Houda [Radiation Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland (United States); Stovall, Marilyn [Department of Radiation Physics, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas (United States); Gilbert, Ethel S. [Radiation Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland (United States); Stratton, Kayla L. [Division of Public Health Sciences, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington (United States); Smith, Susan A.; Weathers, Rita [Department of Radiation Physics, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas (United States); Hammond, Sue [Department of Pathology, Ohio State University School of Medicine, Columbus, Ohio (United States); Mertens, Ann C. [Department of Pediatrics, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia (United States); Donaldson, Sarah S. [Department of Radiation Oncology, Stanford University Medical Center, Stanford, California (United States); Armstrong, Gregory T.; Robison, Leslie L. [Department of Epidemiology and Cancer Control, St. Jude Children' s Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee (United States); Neglia, Joseph P. [Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, Minnesota (United States); Inskip, Peter D., E-mail: inskippe@mail.nih.gov [Radiation Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland (United States)

2013-03-01

Purpose: To evaluate effects of radiation therapy, chemotherapy, cigarette smoking, and alcohol consumption on the risk of second primary salivary gland cancer (SGC) in the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study (CCSS). Methods and Materials: Standardized incidence ratios (SIR) and excess absolute risks (EAR) of SGC in the CCSS were calculated using incidence rates from Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results population-based cancer registries. Radiation dose to the salivary glands was estimated based on medical records. Poisson regression was used to assess risks with respect to radiation dose, chemotherapy, smoking, and alcohol consumption. Results: During the time period of the study, 23 cases of SGC were diagnosed among 14,135 childhood cancer survivors. The mean age at diagnosis of the first primary cancer was 8.3 years, and the mean age at SGC diagnosis was 24.8 years. The incidence of SGC was 39-fold higher in the cohort than in the general population (SIR = 39.4; 95% CI = 25.4-57.8). The EAR was 9.8 per 100,000 person-years. Risk increased linearly with radiation dose (excess relative risk = 0.36/Gy; 95% CI = 0.06-2.5) and remained elevated after 20 years. There was no significant trend of increasing risk with increasing dose of chemotherapeutic agents, pack-years of cigarette smoking, or alcohol intake. Conclusion: Although the cumulative incidence of SGC was low, childhood cancer survivors treated with radiation experienced significantly increased risk for at least 2 decades after exposure, and risk was positively associated with radiation dose. Results underscore the importance of long-term follow up of childhood cancer survivors for the development of new malignancies.

Risk of Salivary Gland Cancer After Childhood Cancer: A Report From the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boukheris, Houda; Stovall, Marilyn; Gilbert, Ethel S.; Stratton, Kayla L.; Smith, Susan A.; Weathers, Rita; Hammond, Sue; Mertens, Ann C.; Donaldson, Sarah S.; Armstrong, Gregory T.; Robison, Leslie L.; Neglia, Joseph P.; Inskip, Peter D.

2013-01-01

Purpose: To evaluate effects of radiation therapy, chemotherapy, cigarette smoking, and alcohol consumption on the risk of second primary salivary gland cancer (SGC) in the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study (CCSS). Methods and Materials: Standardized incidence ratios (SIR) and excess absolute risks (EAR) of SGC in the CCSS were calculated using incidence rates from Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results population-based cancer registries. Radiation dose to the salivary glands was estimated based on medical records. Poisson regression was used to assess risks with respect to radiation dose, chemotherapy, smoking, and alcohol consumption. Results: During the time period of the study, 23 cases of SGC were diagnosed among 14,135 childhood cancer survivors. The mean age at diagnosis of the first primary cancer was 8.3 years, and the mean age at SGC diagnosis was 24.8 years. The incidence of SGC was 39-fold higher in the cohort than in the general population (SIR = 39.4; 95% CI = 25.4-57.8). The EAR was 9.8 per 100,000 person-years. Risk increased linearly with radiation dose (excess relative risk = 0.36/Gy; 95% CI = 0.06-2.5) and remained elevated after 20 years. There was no significant trend of increasing risk with increasing dose of chemotherapeutic agents, pack-years of cigarette smoking, or alcohol intake. Conclusion: Although the cumulative incidence of SGC was low, childhood cancer survivors treated with radiation experienced significantly increased risk for at least 2 decades after exposure, and risk was positively associated with radiation dose. Results underscore the importance of long-term follow up of childhood cancer survivors for the development of new malignancies

Common variation at 1q24.1 (ALDH9A1 is a potential risk factor for renal cancer.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marc Y R Henrion

Full Text Available So far six susceptibility loci for renal cell carcinoma (RCC have been discovered by genome-wide association studies (GWAS. To identify additional RCC common risk loci, we performed a meta-analysis of published GWAS (totalling 2,215 cases and 8,566 controls of Western-European background with imputation using 1000 Genomes Project and UK10K Project data as reference panels and followed up the most significant association signals [22 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs and 3 indels in eight genomic regions] in 383 cases and 2,189 controls from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA. A combined analysis identified a promising susceptibility locus mapping to 1q24.1 marked by the imputed SNP rs3845536 (Pcombined =2.30x10-8. Specifically, the signal maps to intron 4 of the ALDH9A1 gene (aldehyde dehydrogenase 9 family, member A1. We further evaluated this potential signal in 2,461 cases and 5,081 controls from the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC GWAS of RCC cases and controls from multiple European regions. In contrast to earlier findings no association was shown in the IARC series (P=0.94; Pcombined =2.73x10-5. While variation at 1q24.1 represents a potential risk locus for RCC, future replication analyses are required to substantiate our observation.

Older adults’ preferences for colorectal cancer-screening test attributes and test choice

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Kistler CE

2015-07-01

Full Text Available Christine E Kistler,1–3 Thomas M Hess,4 Kirsten Howard,5,6 Michael P Pignone,2,3,7 Trisha M Crutchfield,2,3,8 Sarah T Hawley,9 Alison T Brenner,2 Kimberly T Ward,2 Carmen L Lewis10 1Department of Family Medicine, School of Medicine, 2Cecil G Sheps Center for Health Services Research, 3Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, 4Department of Psychology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA; 5Institute for Choice, University of South Australia, Sydney, NSW, Australia; 6School of Public Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia; 7Division of General Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, 8Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 9Department of Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 10Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA Background: Understanding which attributes of colorectal cancer (CRC screening tests drive older adults’ test preferences and choices may help improve decision making surrounding CRC screening in older adults.Materials and methods: To explore older adults’ preferences for CRC-screening test attributes and screening tests, we conducted a survey with a discrete choice experiment (DCE, a directly selected preferred attribute question, and an unlabeled screening test-choice question in 116 cognitively intact adults aged 70–90 years, without a history of CRC or inflammatory bowel disease. Each participant answered ten discrete choice questions presenting two hypothetical tests comprised of four attributes: testing procedure, mortality reduction, test frequency, and complications. DCE responses were used to estimate each participant’s most important attribute and to simulate their preferred test among three existing CRC-screening tests. For each individual, we compared the DCE

Ginsenoside 20(S)-Rg3 Inhibits the Warburg Effect Via Modulating DNMT3A/ MiR-532-3p/HK2 Pathway in Ovarian Cancer Cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Yuanyuan; Zheng, Xia; Lu, Jiaojiao; Chen, Wei; Li, Xu; Zhao, Le

2018-01-01

The Warburg effect is one of the main energy metabolism features supporting cancer cell growth. 20(S)-Rg3 exerts anti-tumor effect on ovarian cancer partly by inhibiting the Warburg effect. microRNAs are important regulators of the Warburg effect. However, the microRNA regulatory network mediating the anti-Warburg effect of 20(S)-Rg3 was largely unknown. microRNA deep sequencing was performed to identify the 20(S)-Rg3-influenced microRNAs in SKOV3 ovarian cancer cells. miR-532-3p was overexpressed by mimic532-3p transfection in SKOV3 and A2780 cells or inhibited by inhibitor532-3p transfection in 20(S)-Rg3-treated cells to examine the changes in HK2 and PKM2 expression, glucose consumption, lactate production and cell growth. Dual-luciferase reporter assay was conducted to verify the direct binding of miR-532-3p to HK2. The methylation status in the promoter region of pre-miR-532-3p gene was examined by methylation-specific PCR. Expression changes of key molecules controlling DNA methylation including DNMT1, DNMT3A, DNMT3B, and TET1-3 were examined in 20(S)-Rg3-treated cells. DNMT3A was overexpressed in 20(S)-Rg3-treated cells to examine its influence on miR-532-3p level, HK2 and PKM2 expression, glucose consumption and lactate production. Deep sequencing results showed that 11 microRNAs were increased and 9 microRNAs were decreased by 20(S)-Rg3 in SKOV3 cells, which were verified by qPCR. More than 2-fold increase of miR-532-3p was found in 20(S)-Rg3-treated SKOV3 cells. Forced expression of miR-532-3p reduced HK2 and PKM2 expression, glucose consumption and lactate production in SKOV3 and A2780 ovarian cancer cells. Inhibition of miR-532-3p antagonized the suppressive effect of 20(S)-Rg3 on HK2 and PKM2 expression, glucose consumption and lactate production in ovarian cancer cells. Dual-luciferase reporter assay showed that miR-532-3p directly suppressed HK2 rather than PKM2. miR-532-3p level was controlled by the methylation in the promoter region of its host

Immediately modifiable risk factors attributable to colorectal cancer in Malaysia.

Science.gov (United States)

Naing, Cho; Lai, Pei Kuan; Mak, Joon Wah

2017-08-04

This study aimed to estimate potential reductions in case incidence of colorectal cancer attributable to the modifiable risk factors such as alcohol consumption, overweight and physical inactivity amongst the Malaysian population. Gender specific population-attributable fractions (PAFs) for colorectal cancer in Malaysia were estimated for the three selected risk factors (physical inactivity, overweight, and alcohol consumptions). Exposure prevalence were sourced from a large-scale national representative survey. Risk estimates of the relationship between the exposure of interest and colorectal cancer were obtained from published meta-analyses. The overall PAF was then estimated, using the 2013 national cancer incidence data from the Malaysian Cancer Registry. Overall, the mean incidence rate for colorectal cancer in Malaysia from 2008 to 2013 was 21.3 per 100,000 population, with the mean age of 61.6 years (±12.7) and the majority were men (56.6%). Amongst 369 colorectal cancer cases in 2013, 40 cases (20 men, 20 women), 10 cases (9 men, 1 woman) or 20 cases (16 men,4 women) would be prevented, if they had done physical exercises, could reduce their body weight to normal level or avoided alcohol consumption, assuming that these factors are causally related to colorectal cancer. It was estimated that 66 (17.8%;66/369) colorectal cancer cases (42 men, 24 women) who had all these three risk factors for the last 10 years would have been prevented, if they could control these three risk factors through effective preventive measures. Findings suggest that approximately 18% of colorectal cancer cases in Malaysia would be prevented through appropriate preventive measures such as doing regular physical exercises, reducing their body weight to normal level and avoiding alcohol consumption, if these factors are causally related to colorectal cancer. Scaling-up nationwide public health campaigns tailored to increase physical activity, controlling body weight within normal

Risk of second primary colorectal cancer among colorectal cancer cases: A population-based analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kavitha P Raj

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Patients with history of colorectal cancer (CRC are at increased risk for developing a second primary colorectal cancer (SPCRC as compared to the general population. However, the degree of risk is uncertain. Here, we attempt to quantify the risk, using data from the large population-based California Cancer Registry (CCR. Materials and Methods: We analyzed the CCR data for cases with surgically-treated colon and rectal cancer diagnosed during the period 1990-2005 and followed through up to January 2008. We excluded those patients diagnosed with metastatic disease and those in whom SPCRC was diagnosed within 6 months of the diagnosis of the primary CRC. Standardized incidence ratios (SIR with 95% confidence intervals (CI were calculated to evaluate risk as compared to the underlying population after taking into account age, sex, ethnicity, and time at risk. Results: The study cohort consisted of 69809 cases with colon cancer and 34448 with rectal cancer. Among these patients there were 1443 cases of SPCRCs. The SIR for developing SPCRC was higher in colon cancer survivors (SIR=1.4; 95% CI: 1.3 to 1.5 as compared to the underlying population. The incidence of SPCRC was also higher in females (SIR=1.5; 95% CI: 1.3 to 1.6 and Hispanics (SIR=2.0; 95% CI: 1.7 to 2.4 with primary colon cancer. The SIR for developing an SPCRC was higher only among those whose initial tumor was located in the descending colon (SIR=1.6; 95% CI: 1.3 to 2.0 and proximal colon (SIR=1.4; 95% CI: 1.3 to 1.6. Conclusions: Our results confirm that CRC patients, especially females and Hispanics, are at a higher risk of developing SPCRC than the general population. Differential SPCRC risk by colorectal tumor subsite is dependent on gender and ethnicity, underscoring the heterogeneous nature of CRC.

Isolation, structural determination, and evaluation of the biological activity of 20(S)-25-methoxyl-dammarane-3beta, 12beta, 20-triol [20(S)-25-OCH3-PPD], a novel natural product from Panax notoginseng.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Y; Wang, W; Han, L; Rayburn, E R; Hill, D L; Wang, H; Zhang, R

2007-01-01

Ginseng has been used extensively for medicinal purposes, with suggested utility for indications as diverse as diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer. Herein we report the discovery and characterization of 20(S)-25-OCH3-PPD, a ginsenoside that inhibits growth and survival of cancer cells. The novel dammarane triterpene sapogenin (C31H56O4; molecular weight 492) was isolated from the total hydrolyzed saponins extracted from the leaves of Panax notoginseng using conventional and reverse-phase silica gel chromatography. Based on physicochemical characteristics and NMR data, the compound was identified as 20(S)-25-OCH3-PPD. The biological activities of 20(S)-25-OCH3-PPD and its known analogs, 20(S)-PPD and Rg3, were evaluated in 12 human cancer cell lines. In all cell lines, the order of cytotoxicity of the test compounds was 20(S)-25-OCH3-PPD > 20(S)-PPD > Rg3. 20(S)-25-OCH3-PPD also induced apoptosis and cell cycle arrest in the G1 phase, and inhibited proliferation in breast cancer cell lines, demonstrating its potent biological effects. In regard to cytotoxicity, the IC50 values of 20(S)-25-OCH3-PPD for most cell lines were in the lower microM range, a 5-15-fold greater cytotoxicity relative to 20(S)-PPD and a 10-100-fold increase over Rg3. These findings suggest a structure-activity relationship among dammarane-type sapogenins. The data presented here may provide a basis for the future development of 20(S)-25-OCH3-PPD as a novel anti-cancer agent.

Estimating the incidence of breast cancer in Africa: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Adeloye, Davies; Sowunmi, Olaperi Y.; Jacobs, Wura; David, Rotimi A; Adeosun, Adeyemi A; Amuta, Ann O.; Misra, Sanjay; Gadanya, Muktar; Auta, Asa; Harhay, Michael O; Chan, Kit Yee

2018-01-01

Background Breast cancer is estimated to be the most common cancer worldwide. We sought to assemble publicly available data from Africa to provide estimates of the incidence of breast cancer on the continent. Methods A systematic search of Medline, EMBASE, Global Health and African Journals Online (AJOL) was conducted. We included population- or hospital-based registry studies on breast cancer conducted in Africa, and providing estimates of the crude incidence of breast cancer among women. A random effects meta-analysis was employed to determine the pooled incidence of breast cancer across studies. Results The literature search returned 4648 records, with 41 studies conducted across 54 study sites in 22 African countries selected. We observed important variations in reported cancer incidence between population- and hospital-based cancer registries. The overall pooled crude incidence of breast cancer from population-based registries was 24.5 per 100 000 person years (95% confidence interval (CI) 20.1-28.9). The incidence in North Africa was higher at 29.3 per 100 000 (95% CI 20.0-38.7) than Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) at 22.4 per 100 000 (95% CI 17.2-28.0). In hospital-based registries, the overall pooled crude incidence rate was estimated at 23.6 per 100 000 (95% CI 18.5-28.7). SSA and Northern Africa had relatively comparable rates at 24.0 per 100 000 (95% CI 17.5-30.4) and 23.2 per 100 000 (95% CI 6.6-39.7), respectively. Across both registries, incidence rates increased considerably between 2000 and 2015. Conclusions The available evidence suggests a growing incidence of breast cancer in Africa. The representativeness of these estimates is uncertain due to the paucity of data in several countries and calendar years, as well as inconsistency in data collation and quality across existing cancer registries. PMID:29740502

Stomach Cancer Following Hodgkin Lymphoma, Testicular Cancer and Cervical Cancer

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gilbert, Ethel S; Curtis, Rochelle E; Hauptmann, Michael

2017-01-01

To further understand the risk of stomach cancer after fractionated high-dose radiotherapy, we pooled individual-level data from three recent stomach cancer case-control studies. These studies were nested in cohorts of five-year survivors of first primary Hodgkin lymphoma (HL), testicular cancer...... (TC) or cervical cancer (CX) from seven countries. Detailed data were abstracted from patient records and radiation doses were reconstructed to the site of the stomach cancer for cases and to the corresponding sites for matched controls. Among 327 cases and 678 controls, mean doses to the stomach were...... 15.3 Gy, 24.7 Gy and 1.9 Gy, respectively, for Hodgkin lymphoma, testicular cancer and cervical cancer survivors, with an overall mean dose of 10.3 Gy. Risk increased with increasing radiation dose to the stomach cancer site (P

Differential expression of CK20, β-catenin, and MUC2/5AC/6 in Lynch syndrome and familial colorectal cancer type X

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Haraldsson, Stefan; Klarskov, Louise; Nilbert, Mef

2017-01-01

BACKGROUND: Hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer comprises Lynch syndrome and familial colorectal cancer type X (FCCTX). Differences in genetics, demographics and histopathology have been extensively studied. The purpose of this study is to characterize their immunoprofile of markers other...... than MMR proteins. METHODS: We compared the expression patterns of cytokeratins (CK7 and CK20), mucins (MUC2/5 AC/6), CDX2 and β-catenin in Lynch syndrome and FCCTX. RESULTS: Differences were identified for CK20 and nuclear β-catenin, which were significantly more often expressed in FCCTX than in Lynch...... syndrome (p Lynch syndrome tumors compared with FCCTX tumors (p = 0.001,

miR-221 stimulates breast cancer cells and cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) through selective interference with the A20/c-Rel/CTGF signaling.

Science.gov (United States)

Santolla, Maria Francesca; Lappano, Rosamaria; Cirillo, Francesca; Rigiracciolo, Damiano Cosimo; Sebastiani, Anna; Abonante, Sergio; Tassone, Pierfrancesco; Tagliaferri, Pierosandro; Di Martino, Maria Teresa; Maggiolini, Marcello; Vivacqua, Adele

2018-05-02

MicroRNA (miRNAs) are non-coding small RNA molecules that regulate gene expression by inhibiting the translation of target mRNAs. Among several dysregulated miRNAs in human cancer, the up-regulation of miR-221 has been associated with development of a variety of hematologic and solid malignancies. In this study, we investigated the involvement of miR-221 in breast cancer. TaqMan microRNA assay was used to detect the miR-221 levels in normal cells and in MDA-MB 231 and SkBr3 breast cancer cells as well as in main players of the tumor microenvironment, namely cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs). miR-221 mimic sequence and locked nucleic acid (LNA)-i-miR-221 construct were used to induce or inhibit, respectively, the miR-221 expression in cells used. Quantitative PCR and western blotting analysis were performed to evaluate the levels of the miR-221 target gene A20 (TNFAIP3), as well as the member of the NF-kB complex namely c-Rel and the connective tissue growth factor (CTGF). Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assay was performed to ascertain the recruitment of c-Rel to the CTFG promoter. Finally, the cell growth and migration in the presence of LNA-i-miR-221 or silencing c-Rel and CTGF by specific short hairpin were assessed by cell count, colony formation and boyden chambers assays. Statistical analysis was performed by ANOVA. We first demonstrated that LNA-i-miR-221 inhibits both endogenous and ectopic expression of miR-221 in our experimental models. Next, we found that the A20 down-regulation, as well as the up-regulation of c-Rel induced by miR-221 were no longer evident using LNA-i-miR-221. Moreover, we established that the miR-221 dependent recruitment of c-Rel to the NF-kB binding site located within the CTGF promoter region is prevented by using LNA-i-miR-221. Furthermore, we determined that the up-regulation of CTGF mRNA and protein levels by miR-221 is no longer evident using LNA-i-miR221 and silencing c-Rel. Finally, we assessed that cell growth and

The relationship of cancer characteristics and patient outcome with time to lung cancer diagnosis after an abnormal screening CT

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Sonavane, Sushilkumar K.; Watts, Jubal; Singh, Satinder P.; Nath, Hrudaya [University of Alabama in Birmingham School of Medicine, Department of Radiology- Cardiopulmonary section, Birmingham, AL (United States); Pinsky, Paul [National Cancer Institute, Division of Cancer Prevention, Bethesda, MD (United States); Gierada, David S. [Washington University School of Medicine, Department of Radiology, St. Louis, MO (United States); Munden, Reginald [Wake Forest School of Medicine, Department of Radiology, Winston Salem, NC (United States)

2017-12-15

The National Lung Screening Trial (NLST) demonstrated a reduction in lung cancer and all-cause mortality with low-dose CT (LDCT) screening. The aim of our study was to examine the time to diagnosis (TTD) of lung cancer in the LDCT arm of the NLST and assess its relationship with cancer characteristics and survival. The subjects (N = 462) with a positive baseline screen and subsequent lung cancer diagnosis within 3 years were evaluated by data and image review to confirm the baseline abnormality. The cases were analysed for the relationship between TTD and imaging features, cancer type, stage and survival for 7 years from baseline screen. Cancer was judged to be present at baseline in 397/462 cases. The factors that showed significant association (p value trend less than 0.05) with longer TTD included smaller nodule size, pure ground glass nodules (GGNs), smooth/lobulated margins, stages I/II, adenocarcinoma, and decreasing lung cancer mortality. The logistic regression model for lung cancer death showed significant inverse relationships with size less than 20 mm (OR = 0.32), pure GGNs (OR = 0.24), adenocarcinoma (OR = 0.57) and direct relationship with age (OR = 1.4). TTD after a positive LDCT screen in the NLST showed a strong association with imaging features, stage and mortality. (orig.)

The relationship of cancer characteristics and patient outcome with time to lung cancer diagnosis after an abnormal screening CT

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sonavane, Sushilkumar K.; Watts, Jubal; Singh, Satinder P.; Nath, Hrudaya; Pinsky, Paul; Gierada, David S.; Munden, Reginald

2017-01-01

The National Lung Screening Trial (NLST) demonstrated a reduction in lung cancer and all-cause mortality with low-dose CT (LDCT) screening. The aim of our study was to examine the time to diagnosis (TTD) of lung cancer in the LDCT arm of the NLST and assess its relationship with cancer characteristics and survival. The subjects (N = 462) with a positive baseline screen and subsequent lung cancer diagnosis within 3 years were evaluated by data and image review to confirm the baseline abnormality. The cases were analysed for the relationship between TTD and imaging features, cancer type, stage and survival for 7 years from baseline screen. Cancer was judged to be present at baseline in 397/462 cases. The factors that showed significant association (p value trend less than 0.05) with longer TTD included smaller nodule size, pure ground glass nodules (GGNs), smooth/lobulated margins, stages I/II, adenocarcinoma, and decreasing lung cancer mortality. The logistic regression model for lung cancer death showed significant inverse relationships with size less than 20 mm (OR = 0.32), pure GGNs (OR = 0.24), adenocarcinoma (OR = 0.57) and direct relationship with age (OR = 1.4). TTD after a positive LDCT screen in the NLST showed a strong association with imaging features, stage and mortality. (orig.)

Temperature profile data from XBT casts in a world wide distribution from multiple platforms from 20 February 2003 to 24 April 200 (NODC Accession 0001019)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Temperature profile data were collected using CTD casts from LYKES RAIDER and other platforms in a world wide distribution from 20 February 2003 to 24 April 2003....

Results of radiotherapy for cancer of head and neck region, 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fujimura, Noriharu; Shinzato, Jintetsu; Watanabe, Keikichi; Habu, Kenjiro; Hirayama, Haruyuki

1988-01-01

A total of 110 patients with laryngeal cancer treated by radiotherapy during a period of 19 years between 1967 and 1985 were analyzed. Results were as follows; 1) Eighty-three patients (80 %) were irradiated curatively with doses given more than 40 Gy and 21 patients (20 %) were treated by postoperative irradiation. The mean age was 67.4 and the ratio of men to women was 8.1 : 1. 2) According to the primary site of laryngeal cancer undergoing a curative irradiation, glottic cancer was 70 % (58 patients), supraglottic cancer was 29 % (24 patients) and subglottic cancer was 1 % (1 patient). As for the stage classification, 22 patients was in stage I, 26 patients in stage II, 20 patients in stage III and 15 patients in stage IV. The rate of early stages (stages I and II) was 72 % in glottic cancer, but that of advanced stages (stages III and IV) was 79 % in supraglottic cancer. 3) The five-year survival rate of 21 patients who had treated by postoperative irradiation was 37 %, and that of 58 patients undergoing a curative irradiation was 32 %. The five-year survival rate of curatively irradiated patients with glottic cancer was 84 % in stage I, 48 % in stage II and 17 % in stage III and IV. In all of 21 patients with supraglottic cancer, the five-year survival rate was 15 %. 4) Eighteen patients survived more than 5 years ; 3 patients were postoperative irradiation and 15 were curative irradiation. In the curative irradiation, 12 patients were glottic cancer, and 3 were supraglottic cancer. (author)

Topography of gastritis and its severity in 864 first degree relatives of gastric cancer patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Zendehdel, Nasrin; Massarrat, Sadegh; Sheykholeslami, Arghavan; Rakhshani, Naser; Saeidi, Sandra; Rafiee, Reza; Nobakht, Hosein; Tabib, Seyed Masoud; Saliminejhad, Mehrdad; Dooghaie Moghadam, Masoud; Nasiri, Jafar; Azimi, Kourosh; Fakhar, Reza; Babaei, Mehdi; Didehvar, Reza; Mohammadi, Nosratollah; Tavazoee, Mehdi; Malekzadeh, Reza

2010-11-01

Studies on gastric mucosal histological findings among first degree relatives (FDR) of gastric cancer (GC) patients are scarce. The aim is to evaluate the topography and the severity of gastritis among FDR of GC patients. A total of 989 subjects who were FDR of GC patients, ages 40-65 years underwent gastroscopies. When no gross lesion was found, five specimens were evaluated according to the Sydney Classification and one for urease testing in order to determine the type of gastritis and its severity. Of the 989 subjects, 107 had significant lesions, including two with GC and one with esophageal cancer. The 864 subjects who had complete morphological data taken from five gastric areas (two from the antrum and three from the corpus) comprised 419 males (mean age 48.5±7 years) and 445 females (mean age 47±6.4 years). The H. pylori rate was 76.6%. Normal mucosa was seen in 6.9%, antrum-restricted gastritis in 7.4%, antrum-predominant gastritis in 63.5% and corpus-predominant gastritis in 20% (both had >80% H. pylori infection) and corpus-restricted gastritis in 2%. More atrophy was seen in the antrum and corpus of FDR females than males. The severity did not differ between those with one or more GC patients' relatives. Forty-nine percent of FDR had atrophy and 9.4% intestinal metaplasia (IM) in the corpus. After the age of 40, there was progression of intestinal metaplasia from 12.2 to 27.3% in the antrum and from 6.7% to 26.2% in the corpus during two decades. No high grade dysplasia was found in this mid-age population. Only one-fifth of FDR have H. pylori-induced corpus-predominant gastritis who are at risk for cancer and suitable for eradication. Corpus-restricted gastritis is a rare disease in this area.

Breast cancer stem cell selectivity of synthetic nanomolar-active salinomycin analogs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huang, Xiaoli; Borgström, Björn; Kempengren, Sebastian; Persson, Lo; Hegardt, Cecilia; Strand, Daniel; Oredsson, Stina

2016-01-01

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) have been invoked in resistance, recurrence and metastasis of cancer. Consequently, curative cancer treatments may be contingent on CSC selective approaches. Of particular interest in this respect is the ionophore salinomycin, a natural product shown to be 100-fold more active against CSCs than clinically used paclitaxel. We have previously reported that synthetic salinomycin derivatives display increased activity against breast cancer cell lines. Herein we specifically investigate the CSC selectivity of the most active member in each class of C20-O-acylated analogs as well as a C1-methyl ester analog incapable of charge-neutral metal ion transport. JIMT-1 breast cancer cells were treated with three C20-O-acylated analogs, the C1-methyl ester of salinomycin, and salinomycin. The effects of treatment on the CSC-related CD44 + /CD24 − and the aldehyde dehydrogenase positive (ALDH + ) populations were determined using flow cytometry. The survival ability of CSCs after treatment was investigated with a colony formation assay under serum free conditions. The effect of the compounds on cell migration was evaluated using wound-healing and Boyden chamber assays. The expression of vimentin, related to mesenchymal traits and expression of E-cadherin and β-catenin, related to the epithelial traits, were investigated using immunofluorescence microscopy. Treatment with each of the three C20-acylated analogs efficiently decreased the putative CSC population as reflected by reduction of the CD44 + /CD24 − and ALDH + populations already at a 50 nM concentration. In addition, colony forming efficiency and cell migration were reduced, and the expression of the epithelial markers E-cadherin and β-catenin at the cell surface were increased. In contrast, salinomycin used at the same concentration did not significantly influence the CSC population and the C1-methyl ester was inactive even at a 20 μM concentration. Synthetic structural analogs of

Breast cancer stem cell selectivity of synthetic nanomolar-active salinomycin analogs.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Xiaoli; Borgström, Björn; Kempengren, Sebastian; Persson, Lo; Hegardt, Cecilia; Strand, Daniel; Oredsson, Stina

2016-02-23

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) have been invoked in resistance, recurrence and metastasis of cancer. Consequently, curative cancer treatments may be contingent on CSC selective approaches. Of particular interest in this respect is the ionophore salinomycin, a natural product shown to be 100-fold more active against CSCs than clinically used paclitaxel. We have previously reported that synthetic salinomycin derivatives display increased activity against breast cancer cell lines. Herein we specifically investigate the CSC selectivity of the most active member in each class of C20-O-acylated analogs as well as a C1-methyl ester analog incapable of charge-neutral metal ion transport. JIMT-1 breast cancer cells were treated with three C20-O-acylated analogs, the C1-methyl ester of salinomycin, and salinomycin. The effects of treatment on the CSC-related CD44(+)/CD24(-) and the aldehyde dehydrogenase positive (ALDH(+)) populations were determined using flow cytometry. The survival ability of CSCs after treatment was investigated with a colony formation assay under serum free conditions. The effect of the compounds on cell migration was evaluated using wound-healing and Boyden chamber assays. The expression of vimentin, related to mesenchymal traits and expression of E-cadherin and β-catenin, related to the epithelial traits, were investigated using immunofluorescence microscopy. Treatment with each of the three C20-acylated analogs efficiently decreased the putative CSC population as reflected by reduction of the CD44(+)/CD24(-) and ALDH(+) populations already at a 50 nM concentration. In addition, colony forming efficiency and cell migration were reduced, and the expression of the epithelial markers E-cadherin and β-catenin at the cell surface were increased. In contrast, salinomycin used at the same concentration did not significantly influence the CSC population and the C1-methyl ester was inactive even at a 20 μM concentration. Synthetic structural analogs of

Chemical Suppression of the Reactivated Androgen Signaling Pathway in Androgen-Independent Prostate Cancer

Science.gov (United States)

2011-07-01

when it is ingested during pregnancy [20,21]. Aside from its role in development, Hh signaling also supports stem cells in adult tissues [22-24]. However...For the mo.~t commonly uti - lized human prostate cancer cell lines (LNCaP and derivatives, DUI45, PC3 or CWR22rvl) grown in culture, Shh, Glil/2 and

A Study of Triple Negative Breast Cancer at a Tertiary Cancer Care ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

cause of cancer deaths worldwide. It is the ... Background: Triple negative breast cancers (TNBCs) are a diverse and heterogeneous group .... nonHispanic black patients with breast cancer, at 24.6%. ... chance of breast conservation rates.

[Physical activity and cancer: Update and literature review].

Science.gov (United States)

Desnoyers, A; Riesco, E; Fülöp, T; Pavic, M

2016-06-01

Physical activity is a key determinant of public health and contributes to decreasing the prevalence of many diseases. Cancer is the leading cause of death worldwide. Physical activity, accessible to the entire population, could prevent up to 25% of cancers, in addition to improving survival rates and quality of life in cancer patients. Physical activity acts via various mechanisms to slow or decrease tumor growth, including the production and bioavailability of sex hormones, insulin resistance and insulin secretion, and inflammation. In primary prevention, physical activity reduces breast cancer risk by 15-20% and colorectal cancer risk by 24%. All-cause mortality is reduced by 33% in cancer survivors who exercise. Health-related quality of life, fatigue and depression are enhanced by the practice of physical activity in cancer patients. In the general population, the global recommendations on physical activity for health, published by the World Health Organisation, are suggested as a means of primary prevention of cancer. In cancer patients, an adapted physical activity routine is promoted from the very beginning of patient care to decrease fatigue as well as improve tolerance and benefits of treatments. Copyright © 2015 Société Nationale Française de Médecine Interne (SNFMI). Published by Elsevier SAS. All rights reserved.