Publications by authors named "Gonca C Demircigil"

The objective of this study was to reveal the likely genomic instability in children with chronic kidney disease (CKD) using micronucleus (MN) assay on buccal epithelial cells (BEC). We investigated the frequencies of micronuclei and other nuclear anomalies, such as nuclear buds, binucleated cells, condensed chromatin, and karyorrhectic and pyknotic cells in BEC. Children with CKD were grouped as follows: children in the pre-dialysis (PreD) stage (N=17), children on regular haemodialysis (HD) (N=14), and children who have undergone transplantation (Tx) (N=17).

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Magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) have been increasingly used for many years as MRI agents and for gene delivery and hyperthermia therapy, although there have been conflicting results on their safety. In this study, cobalt ferrite magnetic nanoparticles (CoFe-MNPs) were prepared by the co-precipitation method and their surfaces were modified with silica by the sol-gel method. The particle and hydrodynamic sizes, morphology and crystal structure of the bare and silica-coated CoFe-MNPs were evaluated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), dynamic light scattering (DLS), X-ray diffraction spectroscopy (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR).

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There is an increasing attempt in the world to determine the exposures of children to environmental chemicals. To analyze the genotoxic effect of air pollution, micronucleus (MN) assay was carried out in buccal epithelial cells (BECs) of children living in an urban city of Turkey. Children from two schools at urban-traffic and suburban sites were investigated in summer and winter seasons for the determination of BEC-MN frequency (per mille) and frequency of BEC with MN (per mille).

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Background: Cytogenetic biomarkers are most frequently used well-established endpoints in human population studies with their sensitivity for measuring exposure to genotoxic agents. They have an important role as early predictors of cancer risk. Identification of individual genotypes of metabolic gene polymorphisms helps to understand the modulation of cancer susceptibility by environmental exposures, such as cigarette smoking and other lifestyle factors.

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One consequence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) is an elevated risk for cancer. There is sufficient evidence to conclude that there is an increased incidence of at least some cancers in kidney-dialysis patients. Cancer risk after kidney transplantation has mainly been attributed to immunosuppressive therapy.

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The human buccal micronucleus cytome assay (BMCyt) is one of the most widely used techniques to measure genetic damage in human population studies. Reducing protocol variability, assessing the role of confounders, and estimating a range of reference values are research priorities that will be addressed by the HUMN(XL) collaborative study. The HUMN(XL) project evaluates the impact of host factors, occupation, life-style, disease status, and protocol features on the occurrence of MN in exfoliated buccal cells.

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Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma is the fifth most common cancer type worldwide. Even though it is known that the most important environmental aetiological factors for head and neck cancer (HNC) development are tobacco and alcohol, genetic susceptibility is also thought to be important. The use of biomarkers of chromosomal damage due to genetic instability in order to predict risk of cancer as well as to identify high-risk individuals is imperative.

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Mining, crushing, grinding, sandblasting and construction are high-risk activities with regard to crystalline silica exposure, especially in developing countries. Respirable crystalline silica (quartz and cristobalite) inhaled from occupational sources has been reclassified as a human carcinogen in 1997 by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. However, the biological activity of crystalline silica has been found to be variable among different industries, and this has formed the basis for further in vivo/in vitro mechanistic research and epidemiologic studies.

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Dental laboratory technicians may be exposed to metal alloys that are used in the production of crowns, bridges and removable partial dentures. These alloys consist of 35-65% cobalt, 20-30% chromium, 0-30% nickel, and small amounts of molybdenum, silica, beryllium, boron and carbon. The aim of this study was to assess whether dental technicians are occupationally exposed to chromium, cobalt and nickel, by analyzing urinary excretion levels of these metals and to investigate the genotoxic effects of occupational exposure associated with dental prostheses production operations by analyzing cytokinesis-blocked micronucleus (CB-MN) frequencies in peripheral lymphocytes and micronucleus (MN) frequencies in exfoliated nasal cells from 27 dental laboratory technicians and 15 control subjects.

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Urban air contains a diversity of chemical compounds, some of which are genotoxins. An increased risk of cancer has also been reported in occupations with heavy exposure to traffic-related pollution. The aim of this study was to assess the cytogenetic effects of urban air pollution by analyzing the chromosomal aberration (CA) frequencies in lymphocytes and to estimate the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) exposure by measuring urinary 1-hydroxypyrene (1-OHP) levels.

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