Effects of noise pollution over the blood serum immunoglobulins and auditory system on the VFM airport workers, Van, Turkey.

Noise pollution is a common health problem for developing countries. Especially highways and airports lead to noise pollution in different levels and in many frequencies. In this study, we focused on the effect of noise pollution in airports. This work aimed measurements of noise pollution levels in Van Ferit Melen (VFM) airport and effect of noise pollution over the immunoglobulin A, G, and M changes among VFM airport workers in Turkey. It was seen that apron and terminal workers were exposed to high noise (>80 dB(A)) without any protective precautions. Noise-induced temporary threshold shifts and noise-induced permanent threshold shifts were detected between the apron workers (p < 0.001) and terminal workers (p < 0.005). IgA values of apron terminal and control group workers were approximately the same in the morning and increased in a linear manner during the day. This increase was statistically significant (p < 0.001). IgG and IgM values of apron, terminal, and control group workers were approximately same in the morning. Apron and terminal workers IgG and IgM levels were increased until noon and then decreased until evening as compare to control group, but these changes were not statically significant (p > 0.05). These findings suggested that the noise pollution in the VFM airport could lead to hearing loss and changes in blood serum immunoglobulin levels of airport workers. Blood serum immunoglobulin changes might be due to vibrational effects of noise pollution. Airport workers should apply protective precautions against effect of noise pollution in the VFM airport.

Association of clinicopathological features with E-cadherin (CDH1) gene-160 C>A promoter polymorphism in Turkish colorectal cancer patients.

BACKGROUND AND AIM OF STUDY: The role of E-cadherin (CDH1) gene-160 C>A (rs16260) promoter polymorphism in colorectal cancer (CRC) still remains inconclusive. The aim of this study is to investigate the associations between the CDH1-160 C>A polymorphism with the susceptibility and clinicopathological development of CRC in the Turkish patients. To our knowledge, this is the first report examining the role of CDH1 polymorphism in Turkish CRC patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 92 colorectal carcinoma cases (including 62 colon and 30 rectal cancer patients) and the corresponding adjacent normal tissues as controls were studied. The polymorphism was genotyped using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis. Clinicopathological features including patient's age, gender, tumor stage, and tumor location (colon/rectum) were compared statistically with the polymorphism status. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in both genotype and allele frequencies of the CDH1 polymorphism between colorectal tumor cases and normal samples (P = 0.472 and 0.508, respectively). Furthermore, no significant associations were observed between the CDH1 polymorphism status and age, gender, tumor stage, and tumor location of the colorectal tumor cases (all P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that CDH1-160 C>A polymorphism does not contribute to the genetic susceptibility of CRC and the polymorphism may not be a direct effect on the progression of the disease in Turkish CRC patients.

The effect of pulsed ultrasound exposure on the oxygen dissociation curve of human erythrocytes in in vitro conditions.

The P(50) value, a marker for the behavior of the oxygen dissociation curve (ODC) and values of 2,3-diphosphoglyceric acid (2,3-DPG), blood gases and acid base parameters (pH, PCO(2), actual HCO(3)(-), base excess, PO(2), SO(2)) and erythrocyte parameters (the number of erythrocyte, hematocrit and hemoglobin values) that are known to effect P(50), were measured before and after ultrasound (US) exposure to examine the effect of pulsed US beams on the ODC of human erythrocytes. Venous blood samples taken from healthy subjects were sonicated at 0 degrees C for 30 min by pulsed US beams with a constant frequency of 5 MHz. Experiments showed that the values of pH, actual HCO(3)(-), standard HCO(3)(-), base excess, 2,3-DPG and P(50) were changed considerably by pulsed US. Furthermore, correlation calculations were made to find out the relation between the P(50) values and the other parameters. As a result, a significant relation was found between P(50) values and the values of pH, actual HCO(3)(-), PO(2), SO(2) and 2,3-DPG. In conclusion, we can express that a highly significant increase occurs in P(50) value of venous blood after a pulsed US exposure at a constant frequency of 5 MHz for 30 min under in vitro conditions at 0(0)C. That is hemoglobin becomes suitable for deoxy (tense structure) conformation when blood affinity of O(2) is low. It means that hemoglobin becomes convenient for proton (H(+)) and CO(2) binding.

Temperature changes in superficial and deep tissue layers with respect to time of cold gel pack application in dogs.

Despite the widespread clinical use of cryotherapy, there is only limited and inconsistent data on application times. The aim of this study was to determine the changes in tissue temperature and the duration of this effect. In this experimental study, five adult dogs were used. A cold gel pack (10 x 20 cm) was applied transversally over the right leg femoral region. Temperatures were recorded simultaneously: rectal by a mercury thermometer; right leg skin by probe of Nihon Kohden 6000 polygraph; and right leg subcutaneous, intramuscular, and periosteal, and left leg intramuscular temperatures by a fluorooptic biomedical fiber optic (0.6 mm diameter) thermometer connected to a computer system. Total system accuracy was 0.01 degrees C. Cold gel packs were applied for 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 minutes duration. The results can be summarized as cooling and rewarming data. 1) The superficial tissues such as skin and subcutaneous demonstrated the most rapid and profound cooling effect. The deeper tissues such as bone and muscle exhibited a smaller and more gradual decline in temperature. 2) There was a prolonged rewarming period in all tissues after the removal of the cold gel pack but this period was longer in deeper tissues. According to cold gel pack application time, the rewarming time in intramuscular layers to baseline or plateau temperatures was about: 60 +/- 3 minutes for 10 minutes application, 100 +/- 4 for 15, 130 +/- 5 for 20, 140 +/- 7 for 25, and 145 +/- 8 for 30. It can be concluded from these results that with increased cold gel pack application time, deep tissue temperature decreased and the duration of cooling effect increased. However, the data indicated that the length of application time and the duration of cooling effect were not linearly related. Especially after 20 minutes of application this ratio decreased progressively. There may be implications of these results for clinical practice.

P-selectin expression in a colon tumor model exposed by sinusoidal electromagnetic fields.

P-selectin is mainly involved in the initial process of tumor cell adhesion to platelets. The aim of the present study was to determine the expression level of P-selectin in a colon tumor model affected by sinusoidal electromagnetic fields (SMF). Male Wistar albino rats aged 2-2.5 months were used. The animals were divided into the I [N-Methyl-N-Nitrosurea (MNU)], II (SMF-MNU), III (SMF) and IV (control) groups. The rats were housed five per polycarbonate cage. Sixty milligrams of MNU was dissolved in 6 ml sterile 0.9% NaCl. Prepared solutions were administered intra rectally (i.r.) to the 1st and 3rd groups as 0.2 ml/per animal. The same procedure was applied to the 2nd and 4th groups, although 0.2 ml/per animal sterile isotonic solution was administered instead. This procedure was repeated once a week for 10 weeks. Following the administration of MNU, the 2nd and 3rd groups were exposed to a sinusoidal magnetic field (SMF, 50 Hz, 5 mT) for 6 h/day for 8 months. P-selectin expression of the four groups of rat colon tissues was determined using immunohistochemistry on paraffin sections. The labeled streptavidin biotin method was performed. Fisher's exact test was used for differences between proportions. Results showed that there was no statistically significant (P>0.05) change in the expression level of P-selectin. However, this result should be verified by both in vivo and in vitro experiments to determine the effects of the magnetic fields on P-selectin.