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Abstract: Human papillomavirus (HPV) has been implicated in breast carcinogenesis. Consecutive and non-selected mastectomy specimens from Mexican patients harboring breast carcinomas were sampled in order to look for the presence of HPV DNA. HPV-16 was detected in 6 (10%) of 60 breast carcinomas. Two of these also had HPV genome in adjacent non-neoplastic mammary-tissues. Seven cases had HPV DNA only in non-neoplastic tissue specimens. HPV DNA was also detected in 4 (25%) of 10 tumor-bed specimens without residual neoplastic lesions that were obtained from patients who underwent neoadjuvant chemotherapy or neoadjuvant chemotherapy/radiotherapy. HPV-positive tumors tended to be smaller in size, than HPV-negative tumors (p =0.047). Histological distributions of HPV-positive and -negative cases showed no significant difference. Although all the HPV-16 DNA were found integrated, its low viral load rendered it difficult to incriminate this virus in breast carcinogenesis. However, the possibility that HPV infection occurred during carcinoma development cannot be ruled out. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Namie Town was heavily contaminated by the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station accident. The thyroid equivalent dose for residents who lived in Namie was estimated using results of whole body counting examinations which were carried out by the Japan Atomic Energy Agency a few months after the nuclear accident. Photon peaks of 131I and 134Cs were previously measured by the authors using a NaI(Tl) scintillation spectrometer and that information was used to estimate the 131I/134Cs activity ratio of total intake in the present study. The maximum values of 131I/134Cs activity ratio corresponding to thyroid uptake factors of 0.3, 0.1 and 0.03 were evaluated to be 0.9, 2.6 and 8.7, respectively. The maximum value of the 131I/134Cs activity ratio was used to obtain the most conservative thyroid equivalent dose estimation. The maximum internal exposure of the thyroid to 131I on the basis of 134Cs accumulated in the body measured by the whole body counter was estimated to be 18mSv. This value was much smaller than 50mSv that the International Atomic Energy Agency recommends as the dose at which exposed persons should take stable iodine tablets. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The aim of this study was to investigate if a higher incidence or mortality from cancer is seen among the population living in the high-background radiation area of Ramsar. The Ramsar city was divided into areas of high level of natural radiation area (HLNRA) and normal level of natural radiation area (NLNRA). Data regarding morbidity and mortality from cancer were obtained from different sources. Standard incidence ratios (SIR) were used to compare the morbidity experience of HLNRA to those of NLNRA. Standard mortality ratios (SMR) were calculated for two regions of the HLNRA (low exposure and high exposure) using national mortality rates. The incidence ratio for females was 1.5, indicating a slight increase in incidence in the HLNRA compared with that in the NLNRA. The mortality was slightly higher for females living in HLNRA (SMR=1.3 in high exposure area and 1.2 in low exposure area). Neither SMRs nor SIRs showed a statistically significant difference from the unity. No increase in incidence or mortality was seen among the male population. We have concluded that more epidemiologic studies are needed before a solid conclusion can be made. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Aims The aim of this study was to clarify the involvement of oxidative stress in methylmercury (MeHg)-induced pro-inflammatory cytokine expressions and the suppressive effects of N -acetylcysteine (NAC) in MeHg-induced cytokine expression. Materials and methods Using U-87-MG human astrocytoma cell line, interleukin (IL)-6 and monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP)-1 expressions induced by 4 μM MeHg were measured at mRNA and protein levels. Hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) and superoxide anion (O 2 − ) were quantified by flow-cytometry analysis. To examine the suppressive effects of NAC on the cytokine expressions among different timing of NAC treatment, cells were treated with 0.5 or 5 mM NAC before, simultaneously, or after MeHg administration. Key findings MeHg exposure at 4 μM, a non-cytotoxic concentration, significantly induced MCP-1 and IL-6 expressions at both mRNA and protein levels. A significant increase of H 2 O 2 production but not O 2 − was observed. MeHg-induced expression of MCP-1 and IL-6 mRNA was reduced by 10–20% in the presence of 5 mM NAC (co-treatment experiment) compared to cells treated with MeHg only. Pre-treatment of cells with 0.5 or 5 mM NAC at 0.5 or 1 h and its subsequent washout before MeHg addition suppressed MCP-1 and IL-6 cytokine expressions. Post-treatment of cells with NAC after MeHg addition also suppressed the cytokine induction, but the magnitude of suppression was evidently lower than in co-treated cells even though the H 2 O 2 generation was almost completely suppressed by NAC. Significance NAC may effectively suppress the MeHg-induced cytokine production through both, inhibition of reactive oxygen species as well as extracellular chelation of MeHg in astrocytes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Our previous study reported a frequent detection of human papillomavirus (HPV) genome in primary lung adenocarcinomas of the recurrent patients who were responsive to epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-tyrosine kinase inhibitor, suggesting that HPV presence in lung cancer may be related to a genetic background related to EGFR mutations. The present study examined the association between the HPV presence and mutations in exons 19 and 21 of EGFR gene in Japanese lung cancer patients. Thirteen (31%) out of 42 cases had EGFR mutations. Although these mutations were tended to be observed in females, non-smokers, or adenocarcinomas, there was no statistically significant associations. HPV DNA was found in 7/42 (17%) lung tumors. The frequency of HPV presence did not differ in histological types. The presence of HPV DNA was significantly related to EGFR mutations (P =0.021), especially in adenocarcinomas of the lung (P =0.014). HPV-positive lung tumors accounted for 38% and 7% of those with and without EGFR mutations, respectively. Our results suggest that EGFR mutations are associated with HPV presence in Japanese patients with lung cancer. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Background: One of the suggested health outcomes of PCB exposure is childhood asthma. Objectives: This study was conducted to find health relevant biomarkers providing the molecular epidemiological evidence for the positive relationship between exposure to PCBs and childhood asthma. Methods: Blood samples from fifteen asthmatic children as well as an equal number of non-asthmatic children (average 2year old) were collected, and were analyzed for PCBs and their select marker expression by using qRT-PCR. Results: Among biomarkers examined IL-8 expression was significantly correlated to serum levels of PCB #163+164 (P =0.022), #170 (P =0.046), #177 (P =0.022), #178 (P =0.022) and #180+193 (P =0.046) in a dose-dependent manner, which was found only among asthmatic children. In contrast, COX-2 correlations to individual congener levels were recognized only among control subjects, not among asthmatic subjects. Conclusion: Serum concentrations of PCB#163+164, #170, #177, #178 and #180+193 correlate significantly with IL-8 mRNA expressions among asthmatic children. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Concentrations of 22 elements (Mg, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Se, Rb, Sr, Mo, Ag, Cd, Sb, Cs, Ba, Tl, total Hg (T-Hg), Pb) and organic Hg (O-Hg) were examined in the liver, kidney and brain of the Javan mongoose (Herpestes javanicus) and in liver of the Amami rabbit (Pentalagus furnessi) from Amamioshima Island in Japan. Relatively high levels of T-Hg levels (from 1.75 to 55.5μgg−1 wet wt.) were found in the Javan mongoose. As for a comparison of hepatic T-Hg concentrations between the two areas, there was no significant difference between the Javan mongoose in Amamioshima and those in the Okinawa islands. In addition, T-Hg levels in the livers of the Amami rabbit were the same as in the livers of other herbivorous mammals. Taken together, it suggested that T-Hg accumulation in the livers of the Javan mongoose was not affected by the environment but by a specific physiological mechanism. The comparison of Hg and other heavy metal accumulations between terrestrial mammals (13 species, 61 individuals) including the Javan mongoose and marine mammals (18 species, 508 individuals) were also discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The major objective of this study is to examine cancer mortality risk associated with low-level radiation exposure occurring in the high background radiation area (HBRA) in Yangjiang of Guangdong Province, China. The average annual effective doses received by the inhabitants from natural sources of external and internal exposures in HBRA are estimated to be 2.10 and 4.27 mSv, respectively, and the corresponding doses in the control area (CA) to be 0.77 and 1.65 mSv. We analyzed the mortality of non-cancer diseases as well in order to shed light on the comparability of the HBRA and the CA. We examined mortality for cancer and non-cancer diseases during the period 1979–1998. The prospective mortality study followed 125,079 subjects during the period 1979–1998, accumulated 1,992,940 person-years (PYs) at risk, and ascertained 12,444 deaths, including 1202 cancer deaths. The mortality of all cancer showed no difference between the HBRA and the CA [relative risk (RR)=1.00; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.89 to 1.14]. When cancer deaths were limited to persons with pathological diagnosis, the RR changed only slightly (RR=0.99; 95% CI, 0.78 to1.26). The RR was not evidently modified by sex or age or follow-up period (1979–1986, 1987–1998). In site-specific cancer mortality analysis, only cancer of the esophagus showed a statistically significant excess in the HBRA (RR=2.61; 95% CI, 1.11 to 7.66). However, the observed excess mortality of esophageal cancer did not show a monotonic increase with external radiation dose or cumulative lifetime dose. The RR comparing non-cancer mortality in the HBRA with that in the CA was 1.06 (95% CI, 1.01 to 1.10), which was a statistically significant increase. However, the excess was limited to those aged under 50 and the latter half of the observation period (the period 1987–1998), suggesting that the excess mortality may be due to recent changes in lifestyles of the younger generations. In the cause-specific analysis of non-cancer deaths, disease of the digestive organs showed a statistically significant increase. This appears to be mainly due to liver diseases. In conclusion, the present study showed no increase of cancer mortality in the HBRA. However, it is difficult for the present study to support or deny the possibility that the radiation-related cancer risk associated with chronic exposure to low-dose radiation may be different from the risk associated with high dose ranges or high dose-rate exposure. The observed increase of non-cancer mortality in the present study is unlikely to be attributable to radiation exposure. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The relationship between the degree of lymphocytic infiltration into the tumor and the prognosis has not been completely evaluated between Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-positive and -negative gastric carcinoma (GC). Although the average numbers and the grades of the infiltrating CD8+T cells, natural killer cells, dendritic cells, Ki67-positive cells were significantly greater in EBV-positive GCs than in -negative GCs, there was no significant survival improvement in EBV-positive group. These findings suggest that the infiltration of lymphocytes in the EBV-positive GC does not necessarily meant better prognosis and that the EBV status is not a significant prognostic factor in the patients with gastric cancer. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The present study reports on the mercury concentrations of the vestimentiferan worm, Lamellibrachia satsuma, (Annelida: Pogonophora) found near hydrothermal vents at a depth of 80–100 m in the northern parts of Kagoshima Bay. The vestimentiferan worms had total mercury concentrations of 238 ng/g in the anterior muscle of the body and 164 ng/g in the posterior trophosome. Methylmercury constituted only 7.6% of total mercury detected anteriorly and 16.3% posteriorly. The mean total mercury concentration in filtrated ambient seawater of the worm habitat was 1.1 ng/l. The worm should accumulate mercury in seawater by a one-step into the anterior and posterior parts as 2.2×105 and 1.5×105 times those of the filtered ambient seawater, respectively. The bioaccumulation factor of mercury by the worms with only their respiration would be actually larger than that by other marine animals through food webs. The high bioaccumulation factor of mercury in the worms suggest the following two possibilities: (i) the biological half-life of organomercury in the worm could be exceptionally long; or (ii) the lifetime of vestimentiferan worms examined in the present study could be extremely long. Various metals in one specimen of the worm were analyzed by using ICP-MS, and then gold as well as silver were detected in the worm. Gold was detected for the first time from marine animals. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

We studied polymorphisms of mitochondrial DNA 5178cytosine/adenine (mt5178C/A) and angiotensin I-converting enzyme (ACE) genes (DCP1) in 127 cerebrovascular disorder (CVD) patients and 294 age-matched normal controls to clarify the genetic background of Japanese patients with CVD. Mt5178C was predominant in CVD patients compared with controls (P<0.01). The frequency of DCP1 insertion (I) and deletion (D) alleles showed no significant difference between the CVD patients and controls or between each CVD subgroup. Although the number of CVD patients in the present study was too small to make a final conclusion, mt5178C might be one of the genetic factors to be considered in Japanese patients with CVD. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Introduction: Considering the different results obtained regarding the association of HPV with the development of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) in different populations, we aimed to determine the frequency of HPV infection and its subtypes in ESCC in Iranian patients. Method: A total of 100 paraffin-embedded tissue samples of ESCC diagnosed during 1991 and 2005 in the Institute of Cancer affiliated to Tehran University of Medical Sciences were selected. Seven out of 100 samples were excluded due to low quality of extracted DNA from paraffin-embedded specimens. Thus, 93 samples were included for HPV genotyping. Result: All samples were examined using SPF10 primers for HPV detection. HPV DNA was positive in 8 out of 93 (8.6%) ESCC specimens. Using INNO-LiPA genotyping system we detected the genotypes of 5 out of 8 HPV-positive samples. Both HPV types 16 and 6 were detected in 3 specimens; one sample was positive for HPV type 18 and 2 samples were co-infected with two HPV types. There were no statistically significant differences between HPV-positive and HPV-negative cases with regard to clinical and pathologic findings. Three samples were positive for SPF10 indicating HPV infection; however, the exact HPV type could not be clarified using INNO-LiPA genotyping . Conclusion: In conclusion, the present study showed that a small proportion of ESCC specimens from Iran harbor HPV16, 18 genome using a highly sensitive method. As different rates have been reported from Iran, a more widespread study with more precise definition of geographical differences could delineate the potential involvement of HPV in the development of ESCC in Iranian population. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]