The Effect of Skin-to-Skin Contact on Placental Separation Time and Initiation of Breastfeeding.

Background: The first hour and minutes immediately after birth are quite important for both the mother and the newborn. Ensuring skin-to-skin contact (SSC) during this period has a positive effect on the mother both psychologically and physiologically, and it is also important in starting breastfeeding. Objective: The study was conducted to examine the effect of SSC on placental separation time and initiation of breastfeeding. Materials and Methods: This is a randomized controlled study. The sample of the study consists of a total of 84 women with primiparous birth and vaginal delivery, including 42 experimental and 42 controls. Data were collected using a personal information form, a chronometer, and the LATCH scale. The placental separation time for those in the experimental and control groups was determined by using a chronometer. Initiation and assessment of breastfeeding were evaluated at the first and 24th hours of birth using the LATCH scale. Results: The signs of placental separation occurred earlier in the experimental group than in the control group. The mean placental separation time was found to be 7.05 ± 4.37 minutes in the experimental group and 13.41 ± 5.24 minutes in the control group. A statistically significant difference was found between the groups in terms of placental separation time (p = 0.0001). Conclusion: This study concludes that SSC in the third stage of labor ensures earlier separation of the placenta and is effective in initiating breastfeeding.

The impact of phacoemulsification surgery on vision-related quality of life in senile cataract patients.

BACKGROUND: Phacoemulsification surgery may have beneficial effects on the quality of life of patients with senile cataract. These effects can be evaluated with the help of questionnaires and tests. PURPOSE: To evaluate the effect of the phacoemulsification surgery on the vision-related quality of life (VR-QOL) in patients with senile cataract using the 25-item National Eye Institute Visual Functioning Questionnaire (NEI-VFQ-25) and functional independence measure (FIM) tests. METHODS: The data collection was prospective. NEI-VFQ-25 and FIM tests were measured by a masked ergo-therapist. The patients who underwent phacoemulsification surgery were included in this study. Mean best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), NEI-VFQ-25 and FIM scores were compared in the preoperative period and at least 3 months after the surgery according to demographic properties including gender, age, education status, as well as the BCVA level and laterality. RESULTS: Preoperative mean BCVA and NEI-VFQ-25 composite scores improved significantly (p < 0.001 and p = 0.001, respectively). All NEI-VFQ-25 subscale scores except the general health (p = 0.235) and driving (p = 0.226) showed a significant postoperative increase. The postoperative NEI-VFQ-25 composite scores showed a significant increase in all subgroup analyses (p < 0.05 for all). Patients with poorer BCVA, bilateral surgery, and low education status had lower preoperative NEI-VFQ-25 composite scores than the patients with better BCVA, unilateral surgery, and high education status (p = 0.026, p = 0.016, and p = 0.032, respectively). All FIM scores were similar in the preoperative and postoperative periods regardless of subgroup analyses (p > 0.05 for all). CONCLUSION: Phacoemulsification surgery can provide a satisfying improvement in VR-QOL in patients with cataracts. As a valid and reliable test, the NEI-VFQ-25 scale can be used to measure the visual function after the ocular surgeries.

Evaluation of the opinions of midwifery students on adolescent pregnancy: A phenomenological qualitative study in eastern Turkey.

INTRODUCTION: Adolescent pregnancy is a major health problem that is significantly associated with adverse impacts on the health of both teenage mothers and their newborns. This study was conducted to evaluate the opinions of midwifery students on adolescent pregnancy. METHODS: The participants were selected using a purposeful sampling method. Thirty-seven students studying at the final year of the midwifery department were interviewed in the study in Erzurum, Turkey, in 2018. The interviews were analyzed by the phenomenological qualitative method. RESULTS: Students thought that adolescent pregnancy was a social problem in addition to its maternal and fetal risks. The students indicated that adolescent pregnancy was perceived as normal in a family in which cultural values were important (especially in those families that live in the Eastern and South-Eastern regions). Only one student attracted attention to the effect of the media in this respect. The students stated that adolescent pregnancy was a social problem, and a multidisciplinary approach was required for its solution. CONCLUSIONS: Our qualitative study provides insight into the role of adolescent pregnancy in Turkey. Participants expressed the idea that increasing the education level of girls and raising awareness among mothers may be an effective solution to the problem. The students were aware that adolescent pregnancy was an important social problem.

Isolation of High-Quality RNA from Pichia pastoris.

Analysis of RNA structuromes provides new insights into cellular processes, enabling systems biology and biotechnology researchers to calculate promoter and terminator strengths and to directly observe how differing circuit states impact host gene expression and the burdens imposed by the circuits. Such analysis, however, is crucially dependent on the availability of highly pure, intact RNA isolated from fresh or frozen cell cultures. RNA extraction from the yeast Pichia pastoris requires specific pretreatment steps to ensure the reproducibility of downstream applications, but current methods and extraction kits are generally adapted for the conventional yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, which has a different cell wall composition. We therefore set out to compare the efficacy of two different RNA isolation methods when applied to P. pastoris: (i) phenol/chloroform extraction and (ii) silica spin-column absorption. We compared the yield, integrity, and purity of the resulting isolated RNA from the two methods (using two different types of commercial columns for silica spin-column absorption) and further optimized them through variations in the pretreatment steps. We also assessed two different methods of cell lysis: enzyme catalytic disruption using lyticase and mechanical disruption using acid-washed glass-beads in a TissueLyser. © 2019 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Basic Protocol 1: RNA isolation with phenol/chloroform extraction: monophasic lysis reagent Alternate Protocol 1: RNA isolation with silica-spin column absorption: High Pure RNA Isolation Kit (Roche Life Science) Alternate Protocol 2: RNA isolation with silica-spin column absorption: RNeasy Mini Kit (Qiagen).

Established and Upcoming Yeast Expression Systems.

Yeast was the first microorganism used by mankind for biotransformation of feedstock that laid the foundations of industrial biotechnology. Long historical use, vast amount of data, and experience paved the way for Saccharomyces cerevisiae as a first yeast cell factory, and still it is an important expression platform as being the production host for several large volume products. Continuing special needs of each targeted product and different requirements of bioprocess operations have led to identification of different yeast expression systems. Modern bioprocess engineering and advances in omics technology, i.e., genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, secretomics, and interactomics, allow the design of novel genetic tools with fine-tuned characteristics to be used for research and industrial applications. This chapter focuses on established and upcoming yeast expression platforms that have exceptional characteristics, such as the ability to utilize a broad range of carbon sources or remarkable resistance to various stress conditions. Besides the conventional yeast S. cerevisiae, established yeast expression systems including the methylotrophic yeasts Pichia pastoris and Hansenula polymorpha, the dimorphic yeasts Arxula adeninivorans and Yarrowia lipolytica, the lactose-utilizing yeast Kluyveromyces lactis, the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe, and upcoming yeast platforms, namely, Kluyveromyces marxianus, Candida utilis, and Zygosaccharomyces bailii, are compiled with special emphasis on their genetic toolbox for recombinant protein production.

Effect of the Substitution Pattern (Peripheral vs Non-Peripheral) on the Spectroscopic, Electrochemical, and Magnetic Properties of Octahexylsulfanyl Copper Phthalocyanines.

In order to investigate the substitution position effect on the spectroscopic, electrochemical, and magnetic properties of copper phthalocyanines, a detailed structure-property analysis has been performed by examining two copper phthalocyanines that are octasubstituted by hexylsulfanyl chains respectively in the peripheral (Cu-P) and non-peripheral (Cu-NP) positions. Cu-NP showed a marked near-IR maximum absorption compared to Cu-P and, accordingly, a smaller HOMO-LUMO energy gap, calculated via the electrochemical results and simulations in the gas phase, as well as for Cu-NP from its crystallographic data. An electron-spin resonance (ESR) technique is used to extract the g values from the powder spectra that are taken at room temperature. The g values were determined to be g∥ = 2.160 and g⊥ = 2.045 for Cu-P and g∥ = 2.150 and g⊥ = 2.050 for Cu-NP. These values indicate that the paramagnetic copper center in both phthalocyanines has axial symmetry with a planar anisotropy ( g∥ > g⊥). The ESR spectra in solution could be obtained only for Cu-P. Curie law is used to fit the experimental data of the magnetic susceptibility versus temperature graphs, and the Curie constant ( C) and diamagnetic/temperature-independent paramagnetic (α) contributions are deduced as 0.37598 (0.39576) cm3·K/mol and -23 × 10-5 (25 × 10-5) cm3/mol respectively for Cu-P and Cu-NP. The room temperature magnetic moment value (1.70 µB) is close to the spin-only value (1.73 µB) for the peripheral complex, showing that there is no orbital contribution to µeff. In contrast, at room temperature, the value of the magnetic moment (1.77 µB) is above the spin-only value, showing an orbital contribution to the magnetic moment. Cu-NP's room temperature magnetic moment value is larger than the value for Cu-P, demonstrating that the orbital contribution to the magnetic moment depends upon the substituent position. The magnitudes of the effective magnetic moment values also support that both Cu-P and Cu-NP complexes have square-planar coordination. This result is consistent with the determined g values. The spin densities were determined experimentally, and the results suggest that the positions of the substituents affect these values (0.469 for Cu-P and 0.490 for Cu-NP).

The effects of thymoquinone and genistein treatment on telomerase activity, apoptosis, angiogenesis, and survival in thyroid cancer cell lines.

CONTEXT: Thyroid cancers (TCs) are the most common endocrine malignancies. There were two problems with the current cancer chemotherapy: the ineffectiveness of treatment due to resistance to cancer cell, and the toxic effect on normal cells. AIMS: This study was aimed to determine the effects of thymoquinone (TQ) and genistein (Gen) phytotherapeutics on telomerase activity, angiogenesis, and apoptosis in follicular and anaplastic thyroid cancer cells (TCCs). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Cell viability, caspase-3 (CASP-3) activity, and messenger RNA (mRNA) expression levels of human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT), phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN), nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kB), cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 1 (p21), and vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF-A) genes were analyzed. RESULTS: It was found that TQ and Gen treatment on TCCs caused a statistically significant decrease of cell viability, and mRNA expression levels of hTERT, VEGF-A, and NF-kB genes, but a statistically significant increase of PTEN and p21 mRNA expression levels. In addition, TQ and Gen treatment also caused a statistically significant increase active CASP-3 protein level in TCCs. Moreover, our results demonstrated that, when compared with follicular TCCs, anaplastic TCCs were more sensitive to the treatment of TQ and Gen. CONCLUSIONS: Based on these results, two agents can be good options as potential phytochemotherapeutics against TCCs.

Double promoter expression systems for recombinant protein production by industrial microorganisms.

Using double promoter expression systems is a promising approach to increase heterologous protein production. In this review, current double promoter expression systems for the production of recombinant proteins (r-proteins) by industrially important bacteria, Bacillus subtilis and Escherichia coli; and yeasts, Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Pichia pastoris, are discussed by assessing their potentials and drawbacks. Double promoter expression systems need to be designed to maintain a higher specific product formation rate within the production domain. While bacterial double promoter systems have been constructed as chimeric tandem promoters, yeast dual promoter systems have been developed as separate expression cassettes. To increase production and productivity, the optimal transcriptional activity should be justified either by simultaneously satisfying the requirements of both promoters, or by consecutively stimulating the changeover from one to another in a biphasic process or via successive-iterations. Thus, considering the dynamics of a fermentation process, double promoters can be classified according to their operational mechanisms, as: i) consecutively operating double promoter systems, and ii) simultaneously operating double promoter systems. Among these metabolic design strategies, extending the expression period with two promoters activated under different conditions, or enhancing the transcriptional activity with two promoters activated under similar conditions within the production domain, can be applied independently from the host. Novel studies with new insights, which aim a rational systematic design and construction of dual promoter expression vectors with tailored transcriptional activity, will empower r-protein production with enhanced production and productivity. Finally, the current state-of-the-art review emphasizes the advantages of double promoter systems along with the necessity for discovering new promoters for the development of more effective and adaptive processes to meet the increasing demand of r-protein industry.

An investigation of the dose distribution effect related with collimator angle in volumetric arc therapy of prostate cancer.

To investigate the dose-volume variations of planning target volume (PTV) and organ at risks (OARs) in eleven prostate cancer patients planned with single and double arc volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) when varying collimator angle. Single and double arc VMAT treatment plans were created using Monaco5.0(®) with collimator angle set to 0°. All plans were normalized 7600 cGy dose to the 95% of clinical target volume (CTV) volume. The single arc VMAT plans were reoptimized with different collimator angles (0°, 15°, 30°, 45°, 60°, 75°, and 90°), and for double arc VMAT plans (0-0°, 15°-345, 30-330°, 45-315°, 60-300°, 75-285°, 90-270°) using the same optimization parameters. For the comparison the parameters of heterogeneity index (HI), dose-volume histogram and minimum dose to the 95% of PTV volume (D95 PTV) calculated and analyzed. The best plans were verified using 2 dimensional ion chamber array IBA Matrixx(®) and three-dimensional IBA Compass(®) program. The comparison between calculation and measurement were made by the γ-index (3%/3 mm) analysis. A higher D95 (PTV) were found for single arc VMAT with 15° collimator angle. For double arc, VMAT with 60-300° and 75-285° collimator angles. However, lower rectum doses obtained for 75-285° collimator angles. There was no significant dose difference, based on other OARs which are bladder and femur head. When we compared single and double arc VMAT's D95 (PTV), we determined 2.44% high coverage and lower HI with double arc VMAT. All plans passed the γ-index (3%/3 mm) analysis with more than 97% of the points and we had an average γ-index for CTV 0.36, for PTV 0.32 with double arc VMAT. These results were significant by Wilcoxon signed rank test statistically. The results show that dose coverage of target and OAR's doses also depend significantly on the collimator angles due to the geometry of target and OARs. Based on the results we have decided to plan prostate cancer patients in our clinic with double arc VMAT and 75°-285° collimator angles.

The Effects of Occupational Therapy and Psychosocial Interventions on Interpersonal Functioning and Personal and Social Performance Levels of Corresponding Patients.

INTRODUCTION: In this study, we aimed to investigate the effects of occupational therapy and psychosocial interventions on the interpersonal functioning and individual and social performance levels of corresponding patients under the heading of psychosocial treatment approaches in psychiatry clinics as well as the attitudes of the patients in regard to those interventions. METHODS: In 2013, out of psychotic (schizophrenia, bipolar disorder/mania) and nonpsychotic (depression, obsessive compulsive disorder, alcohol dependence) inpatients in our clinic, 48 patients who participated in occupational activities were included in the study group and 43 patients who did not participate in these activities were included in the control group. We prepared and implemented a 3-item questionnaire constructed by our team, which probed the patients' thoughts on these occupational activities. The Interpersonal Functioning Scale (IFS) and Personal and Social Performance Scale (PSP) were applied to both groups on hospital admission and discharge; variations in scale scores were evaluated on par with sociodemographic variables, and the study and control groups were compared. RESULTS: In total, 91% of the study group provided positive feedback regarding the aforementioned interventions. When comparing the study and control groups, the IFS variance score of the study group did not show a significant difference with respect to that of the control group. A statistically significant difference (p<0.0001) was observed in the PSP scores. Evaluation of the PSP of the occupational activities, focusing on sociodemographics and diagnostic labels, revealed a significant improvement in nonpsychotic patients (p=0.002) compared with psychotic patients, in females (p=0.001) compared with males, in unemployed patients (p=0.0001) compared with employed patients, in single patients (p=0.002) compared with married patients, in less-educated patients (p=0.004) compared with high school graduates, and in patients younger than 45 years (p=0.002) compared with those older than 45 years. CONCLUSION: The findings of our study showed coherence with the literature regarding similar studies conducted on psychotic subgroups. The results demonstrated significantly positive repercussions, specifically in the treatment of nonpsychotic patients; both groups benefited from occupational activities, as shown by improvements in all psychiatric inpatients' PSP scores in comparison with scores of the control group. We concluded that the recruitment of psychosocial treatment approaches enhanced personal and social performance in the patient groups, thereby leading to additional clinical benefits.

Feeding strategy design for recombinant human growth hormone production by Bacillus subtilis.

Defined and semi-defined medium-based feeding strategies were developed to enhance recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) production by Bacillus subtilis BGSC-1A178 (scoC (-)) strain carrying pMK4::pre(subC)::hGH. Defined medium-based feeding strategies were designed by exponential feeding of glucose and (NH4)2HPO4 at two pre-determined specific growth rates, µ 0 = 0.10 and 0.17 h(-1). Semi-defined medium-based feeding strategies were designed by exponential feeding of substrate solution consisting of glucose, (NH4)2HPO4, peptone, and trace salt solution (PTM1) at three pre-determined specific growth rates, µ 0 = 0.10, 0.17, and 0.25 h(-1). At all the strategies applied, transition cultivation time from batch to fed-batch operation was t T = 4 h. The highest rhGH concentration was obtained as C rhGH = 0.5 g L(-1) with semi-defined medium-based feeding strategy designed with µ 0 = 0.25 h(-1) using feed substrate stock solution containing 200 g L(-1) glucose, 117 g L(-1) (NH4)2HPO4, 100 g L(-1) peptone, and 5 mL L(-1) PTM1 at t = 22 h when the cell concentration reached to C X = 8.29 g L(-1). The overall product and cell yields on glucose were obtained as [Formula: see text] = 7.21 mg g(-1) and [Formula: see text] = 0.12 g g(-1), respectively. The results indicate the requirement of designing continuous feed stream in fed-batch production to enhance rhGH production by r-B. subtilis.

The evaluation of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) gene I/D and IL-4 gene intron 3 VNTR polymorphisms in coronary artery disease.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Genetic polymorphism is a strong risk factor for coronary artery disease (CAD). In the present study, our aim was to evaluate angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) gene I/D polymorphism and interleukin-4 (IL-4) gene Intron 3 variable number of tandem repeat (VNTR) polymorphism in CAD. MATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred and twenty-four CAD patients and one hundred and twenty-three controls were enrolled. Genomic DNA was isolated and genotyped using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analyses. RESULTS: The risk associated with inheriting the combined genotypes for the two polymorphisms were evaluated and it was found that the individuals who were P2P2-homozygous at IL-4 gene intron 3 VNTR and DD-homozygous at ACE gene I/D have a higher risk of developing CAD. CONCLUSION: Although, there is no correlation between IL4 VNTR polymorphism and ACE gene polymorphism and CAD, there is a strong association between CAD and co-existence of IL-4 VNTR and ACE gene polymorphisms in the Turkish population.

Psychometric validation of the Women's Health Questionnaire in menopausal women.

The objective of this study was to adapt the Women's Health Questionnaire (WHQ) to women who speak Turkish and are from the Turkish culture, and to assess the validity and reliability of the Turkish version of the scale. A convenience sample of women undergoing the menopausal transition or in the postmenopausal period was recruited at one primary health care center in Erzurum, Turkey. The researchers selected consecutive women who applied to the center for health care services. Three hundred sixty-six women were asked to participate in the study and to complete the WHQ during their appointment at the health care center in 2010. In the assessment of construct validity, nine factors were identified: depressed mood; menstrual symptoms; somatic symptoms; anxiety/fears; attractiveness; sexual behaviour; vasomotor symptoms; memory; and sleep problems. The nine factors explained 56.5% of the total variance. The overall internal reliability coefficient of this scale was 0.80. Evidence of the validity, reliability, and acceptability of the questionnaire was provided in this study. The Turkish version of the questionnaire is easy to understand and allows evaluation of women's quality of life for various purposes.

Measurement of the knowledge level about breast self-exam among the female employees of a university hospital, Turkey.

OBJECTIVE: Periodic mammography, clinical breast examination and breast self-exam (BSE) facilitate getting a therapeutic response and improve disease prognosis, by leading to early diagnosis of the breast cancer. METHODS: The study included a total of 618 women working in Çukurova University, Faculty of Medicine, as technician, secretary, staff, midwife and doctor. They answered a 22-items questionnaire consisting of questions about general knowledge, 8 of these were about BSE. RESULTS: While it was statistically significant that the education was not correlated with the age of onset of BSE and timing of BSE, the education was significantly efficient in terms of knowing the aim of the BSE, its frequency, post-menopausal BSE time, nipple discharge properties in the case of breast cancer, diagnostic methods and the risks. While it was statistically significant that the profession was not related to age of onset of BSE and knowing the right day of the month on which BSE should be performed, the education was likely to be efficient in knowing the frequency, post-menopausal BSE time, aim of the BSE, nipple discharge properties in the case of breast cancer, diagnostic methods and the risks. When the percentage of giving right answers to the questions and educational background and professional groups were compared, it was seen that the difference of the number of right answers and professional groups was significant. CONCLUSION: Based on our results, we concluded that the education about BSE is warranted in order to increase the likelihood of female healthcare personnel to diagnose breast cancer at an earlier stage, given their role in raising the awareness of the population.

HHV-6 is ubiquitously found using Western blot in tonsils and adenoid tissues of healthy people.

Few studies have examined the prevalence and cellular proclivity of latent human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) in healthy populations. Difficulties in detection of HHV-6 genome in different tissues using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and immunohistochemistry (IHC) techniques have been reported by various researchers. We examined tonsils and adenoid tissues of 54 patients who had undergone tonsillectomy or adenoidectomy without any evidence of acute infection for the presence of latent HHV-6 infection. While we were investigating the prevalence of HHV-6, we tested the efficiency of PCR, IHC and Western Blot (WB) for detection of HHV-6 in tonsil tissues. We found that 100% of tonsil tissues were positive for HHV-6 with WB, 40% of tonsils were positive with PCR and no tonsil was positive with IHC. This result correlates well with most studies claiming HHV-6 is a ubiquitous organism in various populations and tissues. Western blot may be a good choice for detecting HHV-6 in tissues. Expression of the HHV-6 gp60/110 envelope protein disclosed by WB may indicate that HHV-6 does not have true latency. To our knowledge, this is the first report to use WB to test for HHV-6 in tissues.

Significant association between insertion/deletion polymorphism of the angiotensin-convertig enzyme gene and ankylosing spondylitis.

PURPOSE: Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a chronic inflammatory rheumatic disease that characteristically affects the sacroiliac joints and the spine. Also iritis and uveitis can be serious complications of AS that can damage the eye and impair vision. The exact pathogenesis of AS remains poorly understood but genetic factors play a key role in its development. Human leukocyte antigen B27 (HLA-B27) is the major genetic susceptibility marker in AS. To our knowledge, angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) gene I/D polymorphisms have not yet been investigated in AS patients in Turkish population.This study was conducted in Turkish patients with AS to determine the frequency of I/D polymorphism genotypes of angiotensin converting enzyme gene. METHODS: Genomic DNA obtained from 262 persons (122 patients with ankylosing spondylitis and 140 healthy controls) was used in the study. ACE I/D polymorphism genotypes were determined by using polymerase chain reaction with specific primers. RESULTS: There was statistically significant difference between the groups with respect to genotype distribution (p<0.001). When we examine ACE genotype frequencies according to the clinical characteristics there was a statistically significant association between DD genotype and ocular involvement (p=0.04) also sacroiliac joint involvement (p=0.03). CONCLUSIONS: As a result of our study, angiotensin converting enzyme gene I/D polymorphism DD genotype could be a genetic marker in ankylosing spondylitis in a Turkish study population.

[The prognostic effect of natural killer cell infiltration to tumoral tissues in stage I non-small cell lung cancer]. / Evre I küçük hücreli disi akciger kanserinde tümör dokusuna natural killer hücre infiltrasyonunun prognoza etkisi.

Lung cancer is the most common type of cancer among males and females in developed countries. Currently, the five-year survival rate of lung cancer patients is 14%. Immune system has been considered to play an important role in the development and metastasis of lung cancer. In this study, natural killer (NK) cell infiltration was evaluated in the tumor tissues of 40 patients with stage I non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) to evaluate its effect on the prognosis. The evaluation included the tissue samples of 40 patients who underwent resection due to NSCLC between 1994 and 1998 in Ankara University Medical School, Chest Surgery Department. All the patients had stage I squamous cell carcinoma. The patients were followed-up for 4-8 years postoperatively. NK cell counts varied between 1 and 86 (mean: 13.63 +/- 11.86). The patients were divided into two groups according to their cell counts as low (n= 24) and high (n= 16). The mean survival time of the group with low NK cell count was 52 +/- 6 months and the mean five-year survival rate was 51%. The mean survival time of the group with high NK cell count was 58 +/- 4 months and the mean five-year survival rate was 68%. No statistically significant difference was detected between the two groups for five-year survival time (p= 0.15). As a result, in our study we did not find any significant effect of natural killer infiltration on tumoral tissue in prognosis of stage I NSCLC.

Immunohistochemical analysis of c-myc, c-jun and estrogen receptor in normal, hyperplastic and neoplastic endometrium.

To evaluate the role of c-jun and c-myc proto-oncogenes in normal, hyperplastic and neoplastic endometrium in relation to estrogen receptor (ER) status and to investigate whether these genes can be related to other histopathological features of endometrial carcinoma, 32 endometrial carcinomas, 38 endometrial hyperplasias and 22 cyclic endometria (10 proliferative and 12 secretory) were evaluated histologically. Endometrial hyperplasia cases were classified as simple and complex hyperplasia without atypia, and atypical hyperplasia. Endometrial carcinoma cases were subtyped according to the International Society of Gynecological Pathologists. Modified FIGO system was used for both grading and staging. Immunohistochemical examination was performed using antibodies to ER-alpha, c-myc and c-jun with streptavidin-biotin-peroxidase technique. The mean percentage of ER-alpha positive cells changed cyclically during the menstrual cycle, and it was the highest (96%) and the lowest (31.6%) in proliferative and carcinomatous endometrium, respectively. There was a statistically significant difference between proliferative and secretory phases and proliferative and carcinomatous endometrium in relation to ER-alpha staining (p<0.05). There was also a statistically significant difference with respect to ERalpha reactivity between secretory phase and each hyperplastic group, as well as between the carcinoma group and each hyperplastic group (p<0.05). Although not significant, the mean percentage of c-myc expressing cells in the carcinoma group was higher (15.3%) than that of proliferative phase and hyperplastic groups. The mean percentage of c-jun positive cells in proliferative endometrium was slightly higher than in secretory endometrium, and it was the highest in atypical hyperplastic endometrium (28.3%), but there was no statistically significant difference between the groups. In carcinoma cases, a positive correlation was observed between c-jun positivity and tumor grade (p=0.027, r=0.3908), but such a correlation with c-myc was not found. A positive correlation was detected between ER-alpha and c-myc expression (p=0.038, r=0.3686). A progressive loss of ER seems to be correlated with increasing malignant transformation. C-myc expression might play a role in the development of endometrial carcinoma via ER. The association between c-jun and ER appears to be lost in endometrial carcinoma. The relationship between c-myc, c-jun and ER appears to be altered in endometrial carcinoma compared to that of menstrual endometrium.

Bcl2 expression and its correlation with neuroendocrine differentiation in colon carcinomas.

AIMS AND BACKGROUND: In this study we investigated the association between BCL2 expression and neuroendocrine differentiation in tubular adenomas and colon carcinomas. We also evaluated the prognostic significance of BCL2 expression and neuroendocrine differentiation in the carcinoma group. METHODS: Forty-eight colon carcinomas and twelve tubular adenomas were stained immunohistochemically with BCL2 and chromogranin A (CgA). Staining patterns were scored semiquantitatively and correlated with tumor type, tumor grade, Dukes stage, and survival time. RESULTS: BCL2 expression was detected in 7 of 12 (58.3%) adenomas and 37 of 48 (77.0%) carcinomas. In normal mucosa we observed positive staining only in the basal portions of the crypts. However, diffuse positivity was observed in the adenomas and carcinomas. Carcinomas had significantly higher BCL2 scores than the normal group, but we did not observe any significant differences either between the adenoma and carcinoma group or between the adenoma and normal group. BCL2 scores were higher in stage B than in stage C tumors, and in adenocarcinomas than in mucinous carcinomas. CgA positivity was observed in 24 of 48 (50%) carcinomas. It was not detected in adenomas. We did not find a significant correlation between CgA expression and any of the clinicopathological parameters. CONCLUSION: On consecutive sections BCL2 and CgA positivity closely paralleled each other and a significant positive correlation was observed between CgA and BCL2 expression. These findings suggest a close association between BCL2 expression and neuroendocrine differentiation and indicate that BCL2 may be involved in neuroendocrine differentiation in addition to its role in protecting cells from apoptosis.