Effect of the Addition of Thyme “Thymus vulgaris” Leaves on the Sensory and Nutritional Quality of Lamb Meat

Background: The shelf life of meat products can be increased by adding synthetic antioxidants. These antioxidants have long been used, but their safety has recently come into dispute due to a suspected carcinogenic potential. This is why meat technologies have extracted new natural antioxidants from spices and herbs, which are the best alternatives to synthetic compounds. So, the addition of natural flavors (essential oils, powder or extract of aromatic plants) to the meat can improve organoleptic quality and consumer acceptability. Methods: This study was conducted to evaluate the physicochemical and organoleptic qualities of meat fortified with thyme powder. With this purpose, 16 samples from four muscles of legs from 4 lambs were used in this work. The muscles were divided into two groups, control group (meat without any supplementation) and thyme group (meat supplemented with thyme). In this later group, a dose of 5% of ground thyme dry leaves was added to the meat. Result: Results showed no significant differences were found among groups for cooking loss, but was slightly higher for meat treated with thymus (33.29 vs. 28.36%). No significant differences between the two groups were observed for the ash, fat and crude protein contents of the meat. At the same manner, no effect was observed on meat lightness (L) and yellowness (b*) (P greater than 0.05), on the contrary, redness (a*) of the meat was affected by addition of thyme (11.28±1.23 vs. 23.06±9.80). Also, significant (P less than 0.05) differences were observed in texture scores, flavor, color and taste between control and the 5% thyme-supplemented meat samples. The overall acceptability of supplemented meat samples was highest (P≤0.05) as compared to control (5.91±2.32 vs. 4.35±2.66). In conclusion, addition of thyme leaves did not affect the physical and chemical properties of meat, except for redness and improved sensory quality.

Intravesical ichthyosis: a rare case report

Background Ichthyosis is a rare skin disorder, in which the shedding of squamous cells is altered. Intravesical ichthyosis is an extremely rare condition. There is evidence for an association with intravesical condylomata accuminata, caused by urogenital infections of the human papilloma virus. These lesions are generally benign but known to be of a carcinogenic potential and therefore should be treated immediately and followed-up closely. Case presentation We present the case of a 39-year-old woman who presented with recurrent urinary tract infections. During cystoscopy diffuse black pigmented flat bladder tumours were visualized. After transurethral resection the pathological report diagnosed an ichthyosis vesicae. Conclusion We recommend a complete resection with frequent clinical and cystoscopic follow-up. Furthermore, testing for the human papilloma virus should be performed and a vaccination should be offered to the patient. As ichthyosis vesicae is a rare phenomenon, there is an evident lack of clinical data regarding therapy, prognosis and follow-up. With our report, we want to emphasize the need for further research.

Deep neural network for the determination of transformed foci in Bhas 42 cell transformation assay

Bhas 42 cell transformation assay (CTA) has been used to estimate the carcinogenic potential of chemicals by exposing Bhas 42 cells to carcinogenic stimuli to form colonies, referred to as transformed foci, on the confluent monolayer. Transformed foci are classified and quantified by trained experts using morphological criteria. Although the assay has been certified by international validation studies and issued as a guidance document by OECD, this classification process is laborious, time consuming, and subjective. We propose using deep neural network to classify foci more rapidly and objectively. To obtain datasets, Bhas 42 CTA was conducted with a potent tumor promotor, 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate, and focus images were classified by experts (1405 images in total). The labeled focus images were augmented with random image processing and used to train a convolutional neural network (CNN). The trained CNN exhibited an area under the curve score of 0.95 on a test dataset significantly outperforming conventional classifiers by beginners of focus judgment. The generalization performance of unknown chemicals was assessed by applying CNN to other tumor promotors exhibiting an area under the curve score of 0.87. The CNN-based approach could support the assay for carcinogenicity as a fundamental tool in focus scoring.

Pan-cancer Analysis Reveals the Small Nuclear Ribonucleoprotein Polypeptide C (SNRPC) Its Significance in Human Cancers

BackgroundSNRPC is cloned on human chromosome 6p21.31, which encodes a special protein component of U1 snRNP granules. Although SNRPC played an important role in the pre-mRNA splicing starting and adjustment, but in the tumor biological function is still unknown.MethodThrough the pan-cancer analysis of SNRPC, and our data sets, phosphorylation and functional network analysis based on TCGA (Cancer Genome Map) and GEO (Integrated Gene Expression Database), also from the western blot, qRT-PCR and CCK-8, cloning-forming experiment, scratch experiment to prove SNRPC biological function.ResultsSNRPC is related to the regulation of RNA, shear, and protease signals and has an important effect on ovarian cancer prognosis. Through a series of biological information data mining and basic experiments, we found that SNRPC plays an important role in the proliferation and migration of ovarian cancer. SNRPC expression is positively correlated with the immersion of CD4+T cells, macrophages, and neutrophils (p< 0.05), as obtained through the TIMER database (Tumor Immunological Assessment Resources) database. ConclusionOur pan-cancer research provides SNRPC in different tumors, especially the relatively comprehensive understanding of the carcinogenic potential of ovarian cancer.

Pteridium spp. and Bovine Papillomavirus: Partners in Cancer

Bovine papillomavirus (BPV) are a cause for global concern due to their wide distribution and the wide range of benign and malignant diseases they are able to induce. Those lesions include cutaneous and upper digestive papillomas, multiple histological types of urinary bladder cancers—most often associated with BPV1 and BPV2—and squamous cell carcinomas of the upper digestive system, associated with BPV4. Clinical, epidemiological and experimental evidence shows that exposure to bracken fern (Pteridium spp.) and other related ferns plays an important role in allowing viral persistence and promoting the malignant transformation of early viral lesions. This carcinogenic potential has been attributed to bracken illudane glycoside compounds with immune suppressive and mutagenic properties, such as ptaquiloside. This review addresses the role of BPV in tumorigenesis and its interactions with bracken illudane glycosides. Current data indicates that inactivation of cytotoxic T lymphocytes and natural killer cells by bracken fern illudanes plays a significant role in allowing viral persistence and lesion progression, while BPV drives unchecked cell proliferation and allows the accumulation of genetic damage caused by chemical mutagens. Despite limited progress in controlling bracken infestation in pasturelands, bracken toxins remain a threat to animal health. The number of recognized BPV types has steadily increased over the years and now reaches 24 genotypes with different pathogenic properties. It remains essential to widen the available knowledge concerning BPV and its synergistic interactions with bracken chemical carcinogens, in order to achieve satisfactory control of the livestock losses they induce worldwide.

LUNG CANCER ASSOCIATED WITH CARBON BLACK EXPOSURE ON BRICK WORKERS

ABSTRACTCarbon black aerosol has potential risks to human health. It has been acknowledged to cause cardiovascular and respiratory diseases in humans. International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) 2010 stated that carbon black classification is 2b, which is carcinogenic. This research explains a case of lung cancer due to carbon black exposure and reviews the literature of occupational cases to get the answers about the effects of carbon black exposure and the increasing risk of lung cancer for workers exposed to carbon black. The literature review was performed to answer the clinical question via electronic databases: PubMed and Google Scholar. The keywords used were ‘carbon black’ and ‘lung cancer’ and 'workers'. The inclusion criteria of this searching strategy were the workers which exposed to carbon black, meta-analysis, randomized controlled trial, systematic reviews, cohort. The exclusion criteria of this article were inaccessible articles, RCTs that have been used in the recent systematic reviews. The selected articles were then critically appraised using relevant criteria by the Oxford Center for Evidence-based Medicine. This study reviews the literature by Rota Matteo; The epidemiological evidence on the polyaromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) high exposed, perspective cohort study by Delli LD, and the control case study by Marie EPt. All the researches above showed that carbon black carcinogenic potential is the same as the IARC monograph statement that the epidemiological studies of carbon black provide possible carcinogenicity (Group of 2B). Keywords: carbon black, lung cancer, workers

Cedarwood Oil as a Substitute for Xylene in Histopathological Laboratories – A Systematic Review

Background: Xylene is an aromatic hydrocarbon that's extensively used as a deparaffinizing agent, and it's far extraordinarily biohazardous. It is proven to be the best chemical to be used in histopathological laboratories in spite of its carcinogenic potential. Aim: The aim of this study is to do a systematic review on the efficacy of cedarwood oil as clearing agent and deparaffinizing agent alternative to xylene in histopathological laboratories. Materials and Methods: The articles for this review were searched from PubMed, Google Scholar, Google search and manual search using the keywords cedarwood oil, natural substitute, natural alternative and xylene. The final of 3 articles were included in the review which compared the efficacy of cedarwood oil as a natural alternative with the gold standard xylene. Once the articles to be reviewed were finalized, data was collected, tabulated and was verified and interpreted. Results: Three articles included in this review showed considerable and acceptable results with cedarwood oil as clearing and deparaffinizing agent. Conclusion: Merits and demerits are equally found in both the reagents but compromising the time and cost in terms of cedarwood oil for health benefits hold good for the pathologists but bad for the patients. In case of xylene, compromising the health benefits of workers which results in quicker diagnosis hold good for the patients but not for the pathologists. Finally storage and disposal of these two reagents still remains questionable.

Identification of Key Regulators of Hepatitis C Virus-Induced Hepatocellular Carcinoma by Integrating Whole-Genome and Transcriptome Sequencing Data

Background: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a major cause of cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Despite recent advances in the understanding of the biological basis of HCC development, the molecular mechanisms underlying HCV-induced HCC (HCC-HCV) remain unclear. The carcinogenic potential of HCV varies according to the genotype and mutation in its viral sequence. Moreover, regulatory pathways play important roles in many pathogenic processes. Therefore, identifying the pathways by which HCV induces HCC may enable improved HCC diagnosis and treatment.Methods: We employed a systematic approach to identify an important regulatory module in the process of HCV-HCC development to find the important regulators. First, an HCV-related HCC subnetwork was constructed based on the gene expression in HCC-HCV patients and HCC patients. A priority algorithm was then used to extract the module from the subnetworks, and all the regulatory relationships of the core genes of the network were extracted. Integrating the significantly highly mutated genes involved in the HCC-HCV patients, core regulatory modules and key regulators related to disease prognosis and progression were identified.Result: The key regulatory genes including EXO1, VCAN, KIT, and hsa-miR-200c-5p were found to play vital roles in HCV-HCC development. Based on the statistics analysis, EXO1, VCAN, and KIT mutations are potential biomarkers for HCV–HCC prognosis at the genomic level, whereas has-miR-200c-5P is a potential biomarker for HCV–HCC prognosis at the expression level.Conclusion: We identified three significantly mutated genes and one differentially expressed miRNA, all related to HCC prognosis. As potential pathogenic factors of HCC, these genes and the miRNA could be new biomarkers for HCV-HCC diagnosis.

carcinogenic evaluation of the herbicide glyphosate

Glyphosate, an herbicidal derivative of the amino acid glycine, was introduced to agriculture in the 1970s. Glyphosate is widely considered by regulatory authorities and scientific bodies to have no carcinogenic potential. These have been also reviewed by numerous regulatory agencies including the US Environmental Protection Agency, the European Commission, and the Canadian Pest Management Regulatory Agency; however, The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) published a monograph in 2015 concluding that glyphosate is “probably carcinogenic to humans”. In this review, we evaluated the carcinogenicity of the herbicide glyphosate, based on analyses of case control or cohort epidemiology studies that determinate the association between glyphosate and cancer. There are fourteen case-control studies; the assessment found that the data do not support a causal relationship between glyphosate exposure and cancer. As a result, the Panels concluded that glyphosate is unlikely to pose a carcinogenic risk to humans. Despite this results, future studies could be improved by more careful attention to validating exposure to glyphosate, thus we need for research on the health effects of glyphosate-based herbicides.