Evaluation of sewage sludge biochar and modified derivatives as novel SPE adsorbents for monitoring of bisphenol A.

Sewage sludge is abundant biomass, the sustainable management of which remains a big issue worldwide. It was demonstrated that pyrolysis of sewage sludge using simple and cost-effective apparatus can produce biochars, suitable for solid-phase extraction applications of hydrophobic analytes. Detailed characterization showed that modification lead to three more hydrophobic and one more hydrophilic sample, compared to the original biochar.

R72P polymorphism of TP53 in ulcerative colitis patients is associated with the incidence of colectomy, use of steroids and the presence of a positive family history.

P53 tumor suppressor protein is one of the pivotal regulators for genome integrity, cell cycle and apoptosis. The most commonly and extensively studied single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) of p53 is Arg>Pro substitution on codon 72 (R72P). Although we know that the SNP has unique functional effects on the protein, its clinical significance is not clearly identified yet.

Analysis of p53 gene polymorphisms and protein over-expression in patients with breast cancer.

p53 polymorphic variants play an important role in the determination of tumor phenotype and characteristics in breast cancer. In this study, we examined three common polymorphisms in p53 gene and their haplotype combinations to assess their potential association with inherited predisposition to breast cancer development, in relations with the protein over-expression and patients' demographic data. A total of 99 patients with breast cancer and 107 age-matched healthy controls were included in the study.

Relationship between overexpression of ras p21 oncoprotein and K-ras codon 12 and 13 mutations in Turkish colorectal cancer patients.

Background/aims: The activation of ras family genes plays an important role in colorectal tumorigenesis. We investigated the clinicopathological characteristics and point mutations of K-ras oncogene codons 12/13 and ras p21 expression using paraffinembedded materials from cancerous and the surrounding normal tissues of 53 colorectal cancer cases.

Methods: K-ras codons 12 and 13 point mutations were analyzed by PCR-Single- Strand Conformational Polymorphism (SSCP) and followed by DNA sequencing, while ras p21 expression was evaluated using immunohistochemistry.

Comparing the effect of sub-critical water extraction with conventional extraction methods on the chemical composition of Lavandula stoechas.

The volatile extract composition of Lavandula stoechas flowers obtained by hydrodistillation (HD), subcrtical water extraction (SbCWE) and organic solvent extraction under ultrasonic irradiation (USE) were estimated by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). One hundred and twenty four components were detected in SbCWE extracts while 94 and 65 signals were gained from HD and USE extracts, respectively. Most of the constituents were identified.

Clinical significance of p53, K-ras and DCC gene alterations in the stage I-II colorectal cancers.

Background And Aims: Genetic alterations of p53, K-ras and DCC genes have a pivotal role in the colorectal cancer progression. The aim of this study was to clarify the association between K-ras mutations, p53 aberrations and DCC loss of heterozygosity (LOH), with the patient outcome and tumor characteristics in 43 stage I-II colorectal cancer patients.

Methods: Mutations in exons 5-8 of the p53 gene and codon 12 and/or 13 of the K-ras gene were assayed by PCR-SSCP and then confirmed by DNA sequencing.

A novel approach for rapid screening of mitochondrial D310 polymorphism.

Background: Mutations in the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) have been reported in a wide variety of human neoplasms. A polynucleotide tract extending from 303 to 315 nucleotide positions (D310) within the non-coding region of mtDNA has been identified as a mutational hotspot of primary tumors. This region consists of two polycytosine stretches interrupted by a thymidine nucleotide.