BACKGROUND Tumor angiogenesis is a strong prognostic factor in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, to the authors' knowledge, details regarding the serum levels of proangiogenic and antiangiogenic growth factors controlling this process are not yet known. METHODS Serum endostatin, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) levels were measured by the enzyme immunoassay method in prospectively collected samples from 33 HCC patients who had received no preoperative therapy. The angiogenic score (AS) and endostatin localization were evaluated using immunohistochemistry. RESULTS Significant decreases in serum endostatin (P = 0.0007) and bFGF (P = 0.0004) were observed in postoperative samples compared with the preoperative values. A very strong direct correlation was noted between VEGF and endostatin (P < 0.0001). Only the preoperative serum endostatin was found to have a significant (P = 0.0025) inverse correlation with the AS. Furthermore, the combined positivity for bFGF and VEGF and negativity for endostatin was found to have a significantly (P = 0.0069) positive correlation with AS. Significantly high levels of endostatin were noted in patients with trabecular‐type tumors (P = 0.0446) and in patients with hepatitis B infection (P = 0.0183). The serum endostatin level was found to be significantly (P = 0.0166) higher in living patients and patients with high serum endostatin levels had a tendency (P = 0.0871) toward long survival. Tissue endostatin expression was found to have a direct correlation with the serum endostatin level (P = 0.0117). CONCLUSIONS The measurement of serum endostatin can predict tumor vascularity and may serve as a promising tool in the antiangiogenic therapy for patients with HCC. Cancer 2002;95:2188–95. © 2002 American Cancer Society. DOI 10.1002/cncr.10972

Surface samples of an allophanic (Patua silt loam) and a non-allophanic (Tokomaru silt loam) soil were used to examine the effects of drying on the adsorption and leaching of phosphate and 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D). Phosphate and 2,4-D adsorption isotherms and adsorption kinetics were determined for field-moist, air-dried and oven-dried soil samples using KH2PO4 and 14C labelled 2,4-D. In a separate experiment, the leaching of a pulse of phosphate or 2,4-D was examined using soil columns. The Patua silt loam adsorbed 4-7 times more phosphate and 2,4-D than the Tokomaru silt loam. Compared with field-moist soil, both air-dried and oven-dried soil increased (2-5 times) the adsorption of phosphate, and oven-dried soil decreased the adsorption of 2,4-D. The adsorption kinetics indicated that there was no effect of drying on the rate of adsorption of either phosphate or 2,4-D. In column experiments, there was less leaching of phosphate and 2,4-D from the Patua soil than from the Tokomaru soil. In both soils, there was no effect of drying on the leaching of phosphate, whereas oven-drying increased the leaching of 2,4-D. Solubilization of organic matter during drying increased the accessibility of P to adsorption sites on the mineral surface and thereby increased the adsorption, whereas the water-soluble organic matter bound 2,4-D and thereby decreased the apparent adsorption onto soil and increased leaching

Objectives: Iron Deficiency Anemia (IDA), a global public health problem may have an inimical effect on thyroid function, especially in women and children. This study was conducted to inspect the correlation between IDA and thyroid disorders in women of Bangladesh. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 452 women of different age groups in particular regions of Bangladesh presenting anemic symptoms and were confirmed anemic after testing of serum hemoglobin levels less than 12 g/dL. To identify the correlation between iron deficiency anemia and thyroid disorders; serum samples were tested quantitatively through standardized methods considering serum iron, total iron-binding capacity (TIBC), ferritin, thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), free thyroxin (FT4), and vitamin D levels as parameters. Post clinical diagnosis statistical analysis, graphical presentations of the complex clinical data was generated using advanced computer programming language and bio-analytical tools.   Results: A positive correlation between hypothyroidism and IDA in women was discovered in this study as 24.69% of patients with IDA from 0-60 years were found suffering from hypothyroidism simultaneously; with the highest percentage (38.46%) amongst the 31-40 years of age and 26% of iron-deficient females of reproductive age (15-49 years) were suffering from hypothyroidism. Moreover, the association between congenital hypothyroidism and IDA was noticed in 50% of cases above all. Conclusion: Hypothyroidism was found quite common among the women of different age groups who were previously reported with acute to chronic anemia symptoms due to iron deficiency.

Background: SYK gene regulates the expression of SYK kinase (Spleen tyrosine kinase), an important non-receptor protein-tyrosine kinase for immunological receptor-mediated signaling, which is also considered a tumor growth metastasis initiator. An onco-informatics analysis was adopted to evaluate the expression and prognostic value of the SYK gene in colorectal cancer (CRC), the third most fatal cancer type; of late, it may be a biomarker as another targeted site for CRC. In addition, identify the potential phytochemicals that may inhibit the overexpression of the SYK kinase protein and minimize the human CRC. Materials & Methods: The differential expression of the SYK gene was analyzed using several transcriptomic databases, including Oncomine, UALCAN, GENT2, and GEPIA2. The server cBioPortal was used to analyze the mutations and copy number alterations, whereas GENT2, Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis (GEPIA), Onco-Lnc, and PrognoScan were used to examine the survival rate. The protein-protein interaction network of SYK kinase and its co-expressed genes was conducted via Gene-MANIA. Considering the SYK kinase may be the targeted site, the selected phytochemicals were assessed by molecular docking using PyRx 0.8 packages. Molecular interactions were also observed by following the Ligplot+ version 2.2. YASARA molecular dynamics simulator was applied for the post-validation of the selected phytochemicals. Results: Our result reveals an increased level of mRNA expression of the SYK gene in colorectal adenocarcinoma (COAD) samples compared to those in normal tissues. A significant methylation level and various genetic alterations recurrence of the SYK gene were analyzed where the fluctuation of the SYK alteration frequency was detected across different CRC studies. As a result, a lower level of SYK expression was related to higher chances of survival. This was evidenced by multiple bioinformatics platforms and web resources, which demonstrated that the SYK gene can be a potential biomarker for CRC. In this study, aromatic phytochemicals, such as kaempferol and glabridin that target the macromolecule (SYK kinase), showed higher stability than the controls, and we have estimated that these bioactive potential phytochemicals might be a useful option for CRC patients after the clinical trial. Conclusions: Our onco-informatics investigation suggests that the SYK gene can be a potential prognostic biomarker of CRC. On the contrary, SYK kinase would be a major target, and all selected compounds were validated against the protein using in-silico drug design approaches. Here, more in vitro and in vivo analysis is required for targeting SYK protein in CRC.

Bioelectricity generation from biodegradable compounds using microbial fuel cells (MFCs) offers an opportunity for simultaneous wastewater treatment. This study evaluated the synergy of electricity generation by the MFC while reducing pollutants from sugar beet processing wastewater (SBPW). A simple dual-chamber MFC was constructed with inexpensive materials without using catalysts. Raw SBPW was diluted to several concentrations (chemical oxygen demand (COD) of 505 to 5,750 mg L) and fed as batch-mode into the MFC without further modification. A power density of 14.9 mW m as power output was observed at a COD concentration of 2,565 mg L. Coulombic efficiency varied from 6.21% to 0.73%, indicating diffusion of oxygen through the cation exchange membrane and other methanogenesis and fermentation processes occurring in the anode chamber. In this study, >97% of the COD and up to 100% of the total suspended solids removals were observed from MFC-treated SBPW. Scanning electron microscopy of anode indicated that a diverse community of microbial consortia was active for electricity generation and wastewater treatment. This study demonstrated that SBPW can be used as a substrate in the MFC to generate electricity as well as to treat for pollutant removal.