Identification of genes induced by BRCA1 in breast cancer cells

Cataloged from PDF version of article.Inherited mutations of the BRCA1 gene predispose to cancer of the breast, ovaries and other organs. The BRCA1 protein product is implicated in the maintenance of chromosomal integrity as BRCA1-deficient cells display gross chromosomal rearrangements. Chromosomal instability in BRCA1-deficient cells is related to inappropriate DNA double-strand break repair. The role of the BRCA1 gene in the maintenance of chromosomal integrity is linked to a number of biological properties of its protein product including transcriptional regulation. The aim of this study is to identify genes that are regulated by BRCA1. Initial attempts to overexpress BRCA1 in breast cancer cells with the tightly-regulated ecdysone inducible system did not result in the desired levels of BRCA1 protein and ectopic BRCA1 expression was therefore performed by using the constitutive expression vector. In this study, we have identified genes whose expression levels are upregulated as a result of BRCA1 overexpression in MCF7 breast carcinoma cells by using the suppression subtractive hybridisation (SSH) method. Differential screening, sequencing and homology search studies showed that BRCA1 overexpression in breast cancer cells leads to transcriptional upregulation of distinct classes of genes encoding proteins involved in cellular processes such as DNA repair, chromosome assembly and segregation, signal transduction, RNA surveillance, ubiquitin-mediated proteolysis, amino acid transport, RNA metabolism and glucose metabolism. This study is the first to report BRCA1- induced genes in breast carcinoma cells with the SSH technique. The identified genes in this study may provide new insights into the tumour suppressor functions of BRCA1.Atalay, ArzuPh.D

From Admission to Graduation: The Impact of Gender on Student Academic Success in Respiratory Therapy Education

Despite research in other allied health professions and medicine, the influence of gender on student performance in respiratory therapy (RT) academic programs and on the National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC) examinations is unknown. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to identify the impact of gender on student academic performance from admission to graduation and to determine whether gender differences affected student success on the NBRC examinations. This study consisted of a retrospective analysis of 91 female and 22 male graduates at a southeastern U.S. university between 2003 and 2007. The variables of academic success included the students\u27 entering GPA, exit GPA, and first-attempt performance on the Certified Respiratory Therapy (CRT) examination and on the Written Registry for Respiratory Therapy (WRRT) examination. Independent sample t-test and paired sample t-test analyses at a level of significance of α = 0.05 were utilized. No significant gender differences were observed in the measures of students\u27 entering GPA, exit GPA, or performance on scaled CRT and WRRT examinations (p \u3e 0.05). When we compared entering GPAs and exit GPAs, a statistically significant difference was found (p \u3c 0.05). Both male and female RT students had significantly higher exit GPAs than entering GPAs. The results of the study showed that gender plays no role in the academic success of RT students. When looking at the changes on academic success, we conclude that RT students work hard, as the graduation scores are higher than admission scores

Protection of specific maternal messenger RNAs by the P body protein CGH-1 (Dhh1/RCK) during Caenorhabditis elegans oogenesis

During oogenesis, numerous messenger RNAs (mRNAs) are maintained in a translationally silenced state. In eukaryotic cells, various translation inhibition and mRNA degradation mechanisms congregate in cytoplasmic processing bodies (P bodies). The P body protein Dhh1 inhibits translation and promotes decapping-mediated mRNA decay together with Pat1 in yeast, and has been implicated in mRNA storage in metazoan oocytes. Here, we have investigated in Caenorhabditis elegans whether Dhh1 and Pat1 generally function together, and how they influence mRNA sequestration during oogenesis. We show that in somatic tissues, the Dhh1 orthologue (CGH-1) forms Pat1 (patr-1)-dependent P bodies that are involved in mRNA decapping. In contrast, during oogenesis, CGH-1 forms patr-1–independent mRNA storage bodies. CGH-1 then associates with translational regulators and a specific set of maternal mRNAs, and prevents those mRNAs from being degraded. Our results identify somatic and germ cell CGH-1 functions that are distinguished by the involvement of PATR-1, and reveal that during oogenesis, numerous translationally regulated mRNAs are specifically protected by a CGH-1–dependent mechanism

Protective Effect of Carvacrol against Paclitaxel-Induced Ototoxicity in Rat Model

Objective: This study aimed to explore whether carvacrol (CV) had a protective effect on paclitaxel-induced ototoxicity from biochemical, functional, and histopathological perspectives.Methods: Forty Wistar albino male rats were randomly separated into five groups of eight rats. Group 1 was the control group, so Paclitaxel or CV was not administered. Group 2 was administered i.p. CV at 25 mg/kg once a week; Group 3, was administered i.p. paclitaxel at 5 mg/kg once a week; Group 4 was administered i.p. paclitaxel at 5 mg/kg followed (30 min later) by CV at 25 mg/kg once a week; and Group 5 was administered i.p. CV at 25 mg/kg followed (1 day later) by paclitaxel at 5 mg/kg. once a week. The drugs were administered intraperitoneally once a week for four consecutive weeks, and distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAE) tests were performed at the beginning of the study before the first drug administration and at the end of the study after the last drug administration. All rats were sacrificed, and cochleae were removed for biochemical and histopathological analysis.Results: Biochemical data indicated that paclitaxel caused oxidative stress in the cochlea. Histopathological findings revealed the loss of outer hair cells in the organ of Corti (CO) and moderate degenerative changes in the stria vascularis (SV). It was observed that DPOAE measurements were significantly reduced at high frequencies. In groups which CV was administered together with paclitaxel, these biochemical, histopathological, and functional changes were favorably reversed.Conclusion: CV may have a protective effect against paclitaxel-induced ototoxicity when given

The presence of upper extremity problems and the effect on quality of life in breast cancer patients who undergone breast surgery and axillary dissection

Aim: The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of upper extremity problems in patients who had undergone breast cancer surgery, to compare the risk factors associated with these problems and to investigate their effects on quality of life. Materials and Methods: One hundred thirty-two patients who had undergone either modified radical mastectomy or breast conserving surgery (lumpectomy) were enrolled to the study. Lymphedema, shoulder pain and restriction of shoulder motion were considered as upper extremity problems. Type of surgery, body mass index (BMI), radiotherapy, chemotherapy, disease stage and dominant hand involvement were recorded. The World Health Organisation (WHO) Quality of Life-BREF-Turkish Version (WHOQOLBREF- TR) was used for the assessment of quality of life. Results: Shoulder pain was the most common symptom (45.5%), followed by lymphedema (34.8%) and shoulder motion restriction (22%). No significant relation was found between lymphedema and age, type of surgery, restriction of shoulder motion, pain and dominant hand involvement. Increased BMI, treatment with chemotherapy or radiotherapy, advanced-disease stage and lymph node involvement were associated with lymphedema (p< 0.05). It was seen that doing regular exercise had positive effect on lymphedema, pain and shoulder motion restriction reduction (p<0.05). Lymphedema, pain and shoulder motion restriction were related with physical and psychological subgroups of WHOQOL-BREF TR, whereas shoulder motion restriction was also associated with the environmental subgroup (p<0.05). When lymphedema, pain and shoulder motion restriction was searched for to determine which one was more effective on quality of life shoulder pain had negative effect in the physical and psychological subgroups; motion restriction had negative effect in the physical subgroup, whereas lymphedema did not affect the quality of life subgroups. Exercise also had positive contribution to environmental and psychological subgroups of quality of life (p<0.05). Conclusion: Arm problems are frequently encountered following breast surgery and affect the daily living of patients by decreasing their quality of life. The major aim in these patients must be taking preventive precautions and preserving the quality of life by minimizing complications with regular follow-up. Turk J Phys Med Re hab 2011;57:186-92. © Turkish Journal of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Published by Galenos Publishing

Reconciling the stratigraphy and depositional history of the Lycian orogen-top basins, SW Anatolia

Terrestrial fossil records from the SWAnatolian basins are crucial both for regional correlations and palaeoenvironmental reconstructions. By reassessing biostratigraphic constraints and incorporating new fossil data, we calibrated and reconstructed the late Neogene andQuaternary palaeoenvironments within a regional palaeogeographical framework. The culmination of the Taurides inSWAnatolia was followed by a regional crustal extension from the late Tortonian onwards that created a broad array of NE-trending orogen-top basins with synchronic associations of alluvial fan, fluvial and lacustrine deposits. The terrestrial basins are superimposed on the upper Burdigalian marine units with a c. 7 myr of hiatus that corresponds to a shift from regional shortening to extension. The initial infill of these basins is documented by a transition from marginal alluvial fans and axial fluvial systems into central shallow-perennial lakes coinciding with a climatic shift from warm/humid to arid conditions. The basal alluvial fan deposits abound in fossil macro-mammals of an early Turolian (MN11–12; late Tortonian) age. The Pliocene epoch in the region was punctuated by subhumid/humid conditions resulting in a rise of local base levels and expansion of lakes as evidenced by marsh-swamp deposits containing diverse fossilmammal assemblages indicating late Ruscinian (lateMN15; late Zanclean) ageWe are grateful for the support of the international bilateral project between The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK) and The Russian Scientific Foundation (RFBR) with grant a number of 111Y192. M.C.A. is grateful to the Turkish Academy of Sciences (TUBA) for a GEBIP (Young Scientist Award) grant. T.K. and S.M. are grateful to the Ege University Scientific Research Center for the TTM/002/2016 and TTM/001/2016 projects. M.C.A., H.A., S.M. and M.B. have obtained Martin and Temmick Fellowships at Naturalis Biodiversity Center (Leiden). F.A.D. is supported by a Mehmet Akif Ersoy University Scientific Research Grant. T.A.N. is supported by an Alexander-von-Humboldt Scholarship. L.H.O. received support from TUBITAK under the 2221 program for visiting scientists

The effect of creative home environment and creative thinking motivations on children's creativity potantial

Bu araştırmanın amacı okul öncesi dönem çocuklarının, yaratıcı ev ortamının ve yaratıcı düşünmeyi öğrenme motivasyonlarının çocukların yaratıcılık potansiyellerine etkisini incelemektir. Bu kapsamda çocukların yaratıcı ev ortamları, yaratıcı düşünmeyi öğrenme motivasyonları ve çocukların yaratıcılık potansiyelleri incelenmiş ve birbiriyle ilişkileri ele alınmıştır. Bu araştırmanın modeli nicel araştırma yöntemlerinden korelasyon araştırma olarak belirlenmiştir. Kartopu örneklem yöntemine göre belirlenen araştırmanın çalışma grubunu, İstanbul’da bağımsız anaokullarında görev yapan 12 öğretmen, öğretmenlerin sınıflarında eğitime devam eden 103 çocuk ve bu çocukların anne babaları oluşturmuştur. Araştırmada veri toplamak için Yaratıcı Düşünmeyi Öğrenme Motivasyonu Ölçeği, Yaratıcı Ev Ortamı Ölçeği ve Yaratıcılık Potansiyelinin Ölçülmesi Testi kullanılmıştır. Araştırma sonuçlarına göre, çocukların yaratıcılık potansiyeli puanları ile yaratıcı ev ortamı puanları arasında istatistiksel olarak anlamlı bir ilişki vardır. Çocukların yaratıcı düşünmeyi öğrenme motivasyonlarının yaratıcılık potansiyellerine etkisine bakıldığında Grafik Iraksak Düşünme, Grafik Yakınsak Düşünme ve Sözel Yakınsak Düşünme arasında anlamlı bir fark bulunurken Sözel Iraksak Düşünme alanında fark bulunamamıştır. Çocukların yaratıcı ev ortamı ile yaratıcı düşünmeyi öğrenme motivasyonları arasında ilişki bulunmuştur. Çocukların cinsiyetleri ile grafik ve sözel ıraksak düşünme ile sözel yakınsak düşünme stili arasında anlamlı bir fark bulunamazken grafik yakınsak düşünme stili ile cinsiyet arasında anlamlı bir fark bulunmuştur.The aim of this research is to examine the effects of preschool children, their creative home environment and their motivation to learn to think creatively on their creativity potential. In this context, children's creative home environments, their motivation to learn to think creatively, and children's creativity potentials were examined and their relations with each other were discussed. The model of this research was determined as correlation research, one of the quantitative research methods. The study group of the research, which was determined according to the snowball sampling method, consisted of 12 teachers working in independent kindergartens in Istanbul, 103 children continuing their education in teachers' classrooms, and their parents.In order to collect data in the research, Creative Home Environment Scale, Creative Home Environment Scale and Evaluation of Potential Creativity. According to the results of the research, there is a statistically significant relationship between children's creativity potential scores and creative home environment scores. Considering the effect of children's motivation to learn to think creatively on their creativity potential, there was a significant difference between Graphical Divergent Thinking, Graphical Convergent Thinking and Verbal Convergent Thinking, but no difference was found in Verbal Divergent Thinking. A relationship was found between the creative home environment of children and their motivation to learn to think creatively. While no significant difference was found between the genders of the children and between graphic and verbal divergent thinking and verbal convergent thinking style, a significant difference was found between graphic convergent thinking style and gender

Evaluation of Anti-Proliferative and Cytotoxic Properties of Chlorogenic Acid against Breast Cancer Cell Lines by Real Time Monitoring

Chlorogenic acid (CGA) is a major polyphenol in primary human diet, which has a wide range of biological activities including anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer effects. Several studies showed CGA’s chemopreventive roles on different types of cancers including breast cancer which is the most common cancer among women worldwide. However, there is no comprehensive study investigating the effects of pure CGA on the phenotype of breast cancer cell lines. In this study, we determined the anti-proliferative and cytotoxic effects of CGA on several breast cancer cell lines (MCF-7, SKBR-3, MDA-MB-231, MDA-MB-468 and BT-20) with well-defined molecular classification and characteristics, in a time and dose dependent manner by using iCELLigence real-time and label-free cell analysis technology. Cells were plated on iCELLigence system-specific E-plate L8 and treated with CGA for 72 h at concentrations ranging from 250 μM to 8 mM. Data were analyzed with RTCA data analysis software 1.0 and IC50 values of 952 ± 32.5 μM for MCF-7, 940 ± 21.2 μM for SKBR-3, 590.5 ± 10.6 μM for MDA-MB-231, 882.5 ± 12.0 μM for MDA-MB-468 and 1095 ± 121.6 μM for BT-20 cell lines were calculated at 72-h time point. Our results demonstrated that CGA displayed no cytotoxic activity and exhibited variable but close anti-proliferative effects on breast cancer cells