Genomic and serum tumor markers in Egyptian females with and without family cancer history

OBJECTIVE: Multiple variables affect the probability of development of cancer. The present study aimed to screen Egyptian females for early prognostic cancer markers such as carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), the soluble form of transmembrane mucin protein (CA15-3), MUC1 and important sex hormones (Progesteron, Oestrogen, and Prolactin) and three germline BRCA1/2 founder mutations. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Forty-five DNA samples were screened for 185delAG and 5382insC in the BRCA1 and 6174delT in the BRCA2 genes using polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-directed mutagenesis. Each sample of the 185delAG and the 6174delT mutations was confirmed using Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (RFLP) analysis. Nine suspected PCR products of 185delAG and the forty-five amplicons of 6174delT mutations were further confirmed using Sanger sequencing. Sex hormones (Progesteron, Oestrogen, and Prolactin) and cancer antigens (CA 15-3 and CEA) concentrations were quantitatively determined in serum samples using ELISA. RESULTS: We found significant associations only for oestrogen (p-value=0.036), while non-significant (p-value= 0.123) hyperprolactinemia with cancer history. But none of the individuals carried the BRCA1/2 studied mutations while new variants were detected; (delA) in position 93865, deletion (delA) or substitution of A by G (A/G) in position 93858 and (insA) in position 93844 with frequency of 50%, 50%, 25% and 25%, respectively, in subjects with cancer history. CONCLUSIONS: The serum level of oestrogen could be a useful non-invasive cancer marker while significant association of hyperprolactinemia and the new BRCA1/2 variants with cancer needs extra study

Endoscope-assisted transcranial surgery for anterior skull base meningiomas

Anterior skull base meningiomas are benign, dural-based tumors that originate from the tuberculum sellae, planum sphenoidale or olfactory groove. A multitude of traditional transcranial approaches have been effectively used for resection of these tumors. However, in the era of minimally invasive neurosurgery, the endoscopic endonasal and the endoscope-assisted or endoscope-controlled supraorbital keyhole eyebrow approaches stand out as the two main options utilized to resect these tumors. The supraorbital keyhole approach minimizes brain retraction, tissue dissection and length of the skin incision. Consequently, this approach is associated with a lower complication profile and much better cosmetic results in comparison to classic approaches. With endoscopic assistance or control, the approach provides an excellent view of anterior skull base meningiomas and enables optic nerve decompression when angled scopes are used. In our opinion, endoscopes will ultimately replace the surgical microscopes as the viewing tools in this type of surgery. A limited number of studies have directly compared the endoscopic endonasal approach versus the supraorbital keyhole one for resection of anterior cranial base meningiomas. In these studies, scores and algorithms have been suggested to help select the suitable approach. The practical value of these algorithms still needs to be validated by further research. Although the endoscope-assisted or -controlled supraorbital keyhole approach offers a minimally invasive and highly effective approach for excision of anterior cranial base meningiomas, the ideal approach should be tailored to the individual patient according to the tumor size, lateral extension, optic canal involvement, extent of vascular encasement and surgeon’s experience

Levels, solid-phase fractions and sources of heavy metals at site received industrial effluents: a case study

Heavy metals in the site received industrial effluents were investigated to assess the pollution levels, distribution of metal among solid-phase fractions and possible metal sources. The soil samples at different depths of 0–5, 5–25 and 25–50 cm were collected and analyzed for Fe, Mn, Cd, Zn, Cu, Ni and Pb. Among all metals, Cd content was not detected in all soil samples. The average contents of Pb and Zn are higher than the corresponding values of common range in earth crust. Meanwhile, the maximum contents of Cu and Zn are higher than those of Dutch optimum value but lower that the Dutch protection act target value. The maximum contents of Cu, Pb and Zn are higher than the average shale value. The most investigated heavy metals are mostly found in the potentially labile pool (>50.0%) including metal bound to carbonate, Fe/Mn oxides, or organically fractions. Enrichment factor (EF) in combination with multivariate analysis including principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) suggest that Mn and Ni associated with Fe in the soil samples were primarily originated from lithogenic sources. Pb was largely derived only from anthropogenic source, while Cu and Zn in the soil samples were controlled by the mixed natural and anthropogenic sources. These results suggest that discharging the industrial effluents into dumping site increased pollution level of Pb, Zn and Cu as well as enhanced their potentially labile pool that may be responsible for occurring potential toxic impacts on environmental quality

Towards a Multimodal Framework for Human Behavior Recognition

International audienc

Radiation-induced lattice relaxation in α\alpha α -Fe 2_2 2 O 3_3 3 nanorods

Abstract We report radiation-induced lattice relaxation of the $$\alpha$$ α -Fe $$_2$$ 2 O $$_3$$ 3 and its associated alteration of particle morphology. The $$\alpha$$ α -Fe $$_2$$ 2 O $$_3$$ 3 was grown in solution by microwave hydrothermal synthesis technique in which more than half of the synthesized material was nanorods with axis along the (001) direction. Five sets of the synthesized $$\alpha$$ α -Fe $$_2$$ 2 O $$_3$$ 3 samples were irradiated using gamma-ray from $$^{60}$$ 60 Co cell with doses of 600 kGy, 700 kGy, 800 kGy, 900 kGy, and 1 MGy. The investigation of the pristine and gamma-irradiated samples was carried out using X-ray powder diffraction, transmission electron microscope, and electron paramagnetic resonance methods. Results showed that continuous alternation of radiation-induced lattice compression and expansion causes lattice relaxation. The morphology of the $$\alpha$$ α -Fe $$_2$$ 2 O $$_3$$ 3 nanorods was found to change with absorbed dose into buckyball-shaped particles in response to the alternation of the compression and expansion strain. The EPR results showed a correlation between distortion in the $$O_h$$ O h – $$FeO_6$$ F e O 6 octahedron structure and the relaxation of the lattice. The synthesis, growth, and relaxation are discussed in detail