Serum levels of β-catenin as a potential marker for genotype 4/hepatitis C-associated hepatocellular carcinoma.

The global rising incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), which parallels the increase of hepatitis C virus (HCV) prevalence, has sparked a renewed interest in discovering additional HCC serum markers. In this study, we investigated the clinical use of serum E-cadherin, ICAM, MMP-2, VEGF, OPN and β-catenin as potential diagnostic makers for HCV/genotype 4-associated HCC. Twenty cases of healthy subjects, 11 cases with asymptomatic HCV/genotype 4 carriers (ASC), 28 chronic hepatitis (CH) cases and 32 patients with HCC were enrolled in this study.

Collection, storage and use of blood samples for future research: views of Egyptian patients expressed in a cross-sectional survey.

Objective: To determine the attitudes of Egyptian patients regarding their participation in research and with the collection, storage and future use of blood samples for research purposes.

Design: Cross-sectional survey.

Study Population: Adult Egyptian patients (n=600) at rural and urban hospitals and clinics.

International collaborative assessment study of the AHD575 method for the measurement of blood haemoglobin.

Accurate, economical methods for haemoglobin determination by laboratories in countries with limited resources are not available. This report provides the results of an international collaborative study evaluating the alkaline haematin detergent (AHD575) method as a reference method for laboratory services with limited resources. The study included 6 laboratories; 3 in East Mediterranean countries, 1 in East Africa and 3 in Europe.

Protective role of soybean feeding against the cytogenetical and histopathological effects of dibutylamine and sodium nitrate on bone marrow and liver of mice.

The protective role of soybean feeding against the cytogenetic and histopathologic effects of the nitrosamine precursors sodium nitrate and dibutylamine was evaluated. Treated animals were killed every 3 months, over a period of 15 months, and bone marrow cells were prepared for cytogenetic studies and livers for histopathological observations. Structural chromosomal aberrations and mitotic indices increased after treatment with the nitrosamine precursors for all tested times.

Effect of soybean feeding on experimental carcinogenesis--III. Carcinogenecity of nitrite and dibutylamine in mice: a histopathological study.

The potential carcinogenic effect of nitrosamine precursors, DBA (dibutylamine) and nitrite, was clearly demonstrated pathologically in the liver and bladder of male Swiss albino mice. Benign tumours were induced in the bladder with an incidence of 40%, and hepatomas were detected in the liver in 27% of the cases. The protective effect of soybean and ascorbic acid, added separately to the diet or to the drinking water respectively, was demonstrated by a marked reduction in dysplastic features and absence of tumour in both the liver and the urinary bladder.