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This experiment was conducted to determine the effects of mulberry leaves on performance, carcass characteristics, and meat quality of Japanese quail. A total of 240 one-day-old Japanese quail chicks were randomly allocated to three experimental groups and fed a basal diet (control) and the basal diet plus 50 g/kg and 100 g/kg mulberry leaf meal (MLM) for 42 days. By the end of the study, performance parameters of quail fed the 100 g/kg MLM-supplemented diet were affected negatively. The highest carcass weight and carcass yield levels were exhibited in the control group. In terms of meat quality, the shear force of the breast meat of quail fed the diet with 100 g/kg supplemented MLM was higher than the other groups. The highest L* and hue angle values of breast meat were found in the 50 g/kg MLM group. Released water from the thigh meat in the control group was higher than in the experimental groups. The current study indicates that 50 g/kg MLM can be used easily in quail rations without any negative effects.

WOS: 000454563700002 In this study, the effects of the working pressure and temperature on the performance of the PEM fuel cell were investigated numerically. Non-isothermal, steady-state and single-phase model was used to examine the behaviour of the proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells in the three-dimensional condition. The three-dimensional single-cell model has been developed within FLUENT 6.3 software by utilizing the PEMFC module. The results of polarization (voltage) variation curves and current density distribution were given and compared with each other. According to the results obtained, by keeping humidification and cell temperatures in equilibrium, the performance of the cell improves with the increasing cell temperature. In addition, the current density of the cell increases with the increasing operating pressure.

Globally, the area of sugarcane is rising rapidly in response to growing demands for bioethanol and increased sugar demand for human consumption. Despite considerable diversity in production systems and contexts, sugarcane is a particularly “high impact” crop with significant positive and negative environmental and socio-economic impacts. Our analysis is focused on Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), which is a critical region for continued expansion, due to its high production potential, low cost of production and proximity, and access, to European markets. Drawing on a systematic review of scientific evidence, combined with information from key informants, stakeholders and a research-industry workshop, we critically assess the impacts of sugarcane development on water, soil and air quality, employment, food security and human health. Our analysis shows that sugarcane production is, in general, neither explicitly good nor bad, sustainable nor unsustainable. The impacts of expansion of sugarcane production on the environment and society depend on the global political economy of sugar, local context, quality of scheme, nature of the production system and farm management. Despite threats from climate change and forthcoming changes in the trade relationship with the European Union, agricultural development policies are driving national and international interest and investment in sugarcane in SSA, with expansion likely to play an important role in sustainable development in the region. Our findings will help guide researchers and policy makers with new insights in understanding the situated environmental and social impacts associated with alternative sugar economy models, production technologies and qualities of management.

Background/Aims: This study aimed to determine the epidemiological characteristics of colorectal cancer in Turkey. Materials and Methods: In this multicenter, prospective, and cross-sectional registry study, data for 968 patients with colorectal cancer from 21 centers in 7 geographic regions were analyzed. Results: Diagnosis was colon cancer in 662 (68.4%) and rectum cancer in 306 (31.6%) patients. In total, 60.9% of patients was male; mean age was 58.9 +/- 12.6 years. Among patients, 15.0% was drinking alcohol, 17.5% was smoking, 1.5% had familial history of polyposis, 15.0% had diabetes mellitus, 1.0% had inflammatory bowel disease. Fruit and vegetable consumption was low (= 3 times/week) in 47.4% of the patients. Median time-to diagnosis was 3.0 months and 4.0 months for patients with colon and rectum cancer, respectively. Mean body mass index was >25 in all group of patients. Distal rectum (61.3%) and sigmoid colon (36.8%) were the most common locations of cancer, for rectum and colon respectively. In total, 85.6% of patients were operated; 25.8% had emergency surgery. Low anterior resection rate was 64.2% in rectum cancer. In majority (89.8%) of the patients with rectum cancer who received preoperative treatment, conventional chemo-radiotherapy regimen was given. pTNM staging at diagnosis showed that stage III and IV patients were in majority (35.9% and 29.7%, respectively). Conclusion: Colon cancer is more frequent than rectum cancer in Turkey. Colorectal cancer patients are diagnosed at later stages. Most of the cases were operated. Interregional differences for risk factors are worthwhile for evaluation in future trials.

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We tested whether zoledronic acid, a biphosphonate with proposed apoptotic activity, augmented the cytotoxicity of cisplatin and/or gemcitabine in A549 lung cancer cell line. This cell line was subjected to different concentrations of the above chemotherapeutic agents and zoledronic acid. Cytotoxicity was assessed by the MTT (3-(4,5 -dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrasodium bromide) assay. Particularly, zoledronic acid in 100 micromolar (mu M) concentration augmented the cytotoxicity by cisplatin 1 mu g/ml from 25% to 70% (Z = 3.22, P = 0.0072). A significant portion of cells underwent apoptosis with or without zoledronic acid, but more so with the combination treatment as assessed by an Annexin V-FITC apoptosis detection kit. However, 100 mu M zoledronic acid showed 50% cytotoxicity on its own, but failed to improve cytotoxicity by Gemcitabine. Thus, we show for the first time in a lung cancer cell line that zoledronic acid bears cytotoxic potential on its own and in conjunction with cisplatin. The clinical potential of this finding should be further studied. (c) 2007 International Federation for Cell Biology. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. C1 Akdeniz Univ, Dept Biochem, Antalya, Turkey. Akdeniz Univ, Dept Med Oncol, TR-07070 Antalya, Turkey. Akdeniz Univ, Dept Hematol, Antalya, Turkey. Ataturk State Hosp, Dept Internal Med, Antalya, Turkey. Pamukkale Univ, Dept Med Oncol, Denizli, Turkey.

As a tension-free repair technique, Lichtenstein operation has gained great popularity worldwide during the last decade. Expert centres do this technique using local anaesthesia in nearly 95% of cases. However, general anaesthesia is used in many hospitals, while regional anaesthesia is preferred in some centres. To date, no study has compared different types of anesthesia in respect of inflammatory response and oxidative stress specifically. The objective of this prospective study was to compare local, spinal and general types of anesthesia regarding their effects on inflammatory response and oxidative stress in Lichtenstein hernia repair. Lichtenstein hernia repair causes only a mild oxidative stress. While total WBC and neutrophil count responses fade away after 24 hours in patients who are operated under local anaesthesia, these changes in spinal and general types of anaesthesia cases stay valid at 24th hour. Spinal anaesthesia is seen to be more advantageous than local and general types of anaesthesia when C-reactive protein as an acute phase marker is considered. Total antioxidant status shows minor alterations in three types of anaesthesia, however, general anaesthesia seems to be the least reliable among them. Overall, local and spinal anaesthesia methods can be accepted as better alternatives in comparison with general anaesthesia in regard to oxidative stress (Tab. 2, Ref. 25). Full Text (Free, PDF) www.bmj.sk.

Background: In the practice of oncology, effective communication between physician and patient is very important. Although many studies have indicated that a large majority of physicians, especially from Western countries, tell the truth about diagnosis and prognosis, little is known about attitudes of physicians in Turkey toward truth-telling. Objective: In this study, we tried to determine the truth-telling practice of physicians and explore potential related factors with a self-reported questionnaire. Design: Using a questionnaire, 131 cancer specialists were interviewed during the 15th National Oncology Meeting in April 2003. Results: The percentage of physicians who never, rarely, generally, and always prefer truth-telling about a cancer diagnosis were 9%, 39%, 45%, and 7%, respectively. In univariate logistic regression analysis for the truth-telling practice, significant variables included "'do not tell" requests from family, experiences from medical training and clinical practice, and medical specialty. In the multivariate analysis, "'do not tell" requests from relatives and medical training factors retained their significance. Conclusion: Professional training in breaking bad news is important and is associated with the self-reported truth-telling practices of physicians. C1 Akdeniz Univ, Fac Med, Sch Med, Dept Med Oncol, TR-07070 Arapsuyu, Antalya, Turkey. Pamukkale Univ, Sch Med, Dept Med Oncol, Denizli, Turkey.