Comparison of Male and Female Breast Cancer Incidence and Mortality Trends in Central Serbia

Sipetic-Grujicic, Sandra,Murtezani, Zafir,Ratkov, Isidora,Grgurevic, Anita,Marinkovic, Jelena,Bjekic, Milan,Miljus, Dragan Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2013 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.14 No.10

Background: To compare breast cancer incidence and mortality trends in Central Serbia between males and females in the period 1999-2009. Materials and Methods: In this descriptive study, mortality data were obtained from the National Statistics Institute and morbidity data were derived from Institute of Public Health of Serbia for the period of interest. Results: Breast cancer is a leading cancer in the female population of Central Serbia, whereas in male population it is not on the list of 10 leading localizations, concerning both incidence as well as mortality. In the period 1999-2009 the average standardized incidence rates of breast cancer were 60.5/100,000 in women and 1.4/100,000 in men, while average standardized mortality rates were 20.4/100,000 and 0.4/100,000. The average standardized incidence and mortality rates were about 45 times higher in females than males. Male breast cancer comprises approximately 2.1% of all breast cancer cases. The average age-specific mortality and incidence rates increased with age in both sexes. In the observed period standardized mortality rates of breast cancer increased significantly only in men ($y=0.320+0.0215{\times}$, p=0.044). Conclusions: The increase of breast cancer incidence in both sexes and mortality in men, indicate an urgent need for Serbian health professionals to apply existing cancer control and preventive measures. Male breast cancer is more present than in other world regions, with an outstanding increase of mortality, which demands a timely identification (screening) and adequate treatment. A national policy including mammography should be considered in the light of the newest findings.

Multivariate Analysis of Prognostic Factors in Male Breast Cancer in Serbia

Sipetic-Grujicic, Sandra Branko,Murtezani, Zafir Hajdar,Neskovic-Konstatinovic, Zora Borivoje,Marinkovic, Jelena Milutin,Kovcin, Vladimir Nikola,Andric, Zoran Gojko,Kostic, Sanja Vladeta,Ratkov, Isido Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2014 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.15 No.7

Background: The aim of this study was to analyze the demographic and clinical characteristics of male breast cancer patients in Serbia, and furthermore to determine overall survival and predictive factors for prognosis. Materials and Methods: In the period of 1996-2006 histopathological diagnosis of breast cancer was made in 84 males at the Institute for Oncology and Radiology of Serbia. For statistical analyses the Kaplan-Meier method, long-rank test and Cox proportional hazards regression model were used. Results: The mean age at diagnosis with breast cancer was $64.3{\pm}10.5$ years with a range from 35-84 years. Nearly 80% of the tumors showed ductal histology. About 44% had early tumor stages (I and II) whereas 46.4% and 9.5% of the male exhibitied stages III and IV, respectively. Only 7.1% of male patients were grade one. One-fifth of all patients had tumors measuring ${\leq}2cm$, and 14.3% larger than 5 cm. Lymph node metastasis was recorded in 40.4% patients and 47% relapse. Estrogen and progesterone receptor expression was positive in 66.7% and 58.3%, respectively. Among 14.3% of individuals tumor was HER2 positive. About two-thirds of all male patients had radical mastectomy (66.7%). Adjuvant hormonal (tamoxifene), systematic chemotherapy (CMF or FAC) and adjuvant radiotherapy were given to 59.5%, 35.7% and 29.8% patients respectively. Overall survival rates at five and ten years for male breast cancer were 55.0% and 43.9%, respectively. According to the multivariate Cox regression predictive model, a lower initial disease stage, a lower tumor grade, application of adjuvant hormone therapy and no relapse occurrence were significant independent predictors for good overall survival. Conclusions: Results of the treatment would be better if disease is discovered earlier and therefore health education and screening are an imperative in solving this problem.

BMB Reports : Cyclic AMP response element binding (CREB) protein acts as a positive regulator of SOX3 gene expression in NT2/D1 cells

( Natasa Kovacevic Grujicic ),( Marija Mojsin ),( Jelena Popovic ),( Isidora Petrovic ),( Vladanka Topalovic ),( Milena Stevanovic ) 생화학분자생물학회(구 한국생화학분자생물학회) 2014 BMB Reports Vol.47 No.4

SOX3 is one of the earliest neural markers in vertebrates, playing the role in specifying neuronal fate. In this study we have established first functional link between CREB and human SOX3 gene which both have important roles in the nervous system throughout development and in the adulthood. Here we demonstrate both in vitro and in vivo that CREB binds to CRE half-site located -195 to -191 within the human SOX3 promoter. Overexpression studies with CREB or its dominant-negative inhibitor A-CREB indicate that this transcription factor acts as a positive regulator of basal SOX3 gene expression in NT2/D1 cells. This is further confirmed by mutational analysis where mutation of CREB binding site results in reduction of SOX3 promoter activity. Our results point at CREB as a positive regulator of SOX3 gene transcription in NT2/D1 cells, while its contribution to RA induction of SOX3 promoter is not prominent. [BMB Reports 2014; 47(4): 197-202]

Glutathione S-Transferase T1 and M1 Polymorphisms and Risk of Uterine Cervical Lesions in Women from Central Serbia

Stosic, Ivana,Grujicic, Darko,Arsenijevic, Slobodan,Brkic, Marija,Milosevic-Djordjevic, Olivera Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2014 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.15 No.7

The aim of this study was to investigate the frequencies of GSTT1 and GSTM1 deletion polymorphisms in newly-diagnosed patients with uterine cervical lesions from central Serbia. Polymorphisms of GST genes were genotyped in 97 patients with cervical lesions and 50 healthy women using a multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The GSTM1 null genotype was significantly more prominent among the patients than in controls (74.2% vs 56.0%), the risk associated with lesions being almost 2.3-fold increased (OR=2.26, 95%CI=1.10-4.65, p=0.03) and 3.17-fold higher in patients above >45 years old (95%CI=1.02-9.79, p=0.04). The analysis of the two genotypes demonstrated that GSTM1 null genotype significantly increased risk only for low grade squamous intraepithelial lesion-LSIL (OR=2.81, 95%CI=1.03-7.68, p=0.04). GSTT1 null genotype or different genotype combinations were not found to be risk factors, irrespective to lesion stages, age or smoking. We found that the risk of cervical lesions might be significantly related to the GSTM1 null genotype, especially in women aged above 45 years. Furthermore, the GSTM1 polymorphism might have greater role in development of early stage lesions.

Early growth response protein 1 acts as an activator of SOX18 promoter

Isidora Petrovic,Natasa Kovacevic-Grujicic,Milena Stevanovic 생화학분자생물학회 2010 Experimental and molecular medicine Vol.42 No.2

Sex-determining region Y box 18 (Sox18/SOX18) gene is an important regulator of vascular development playing a role in endothelial cell specification or differentiation,angiogenesis and atherogenesis. The aim of this study was to perform comprehensive functional characterization of the human SOX18 promoter, including determination of transcription start point (tsp)and identification of control elements involved in the regulation of SOX18 gene expression, with an emphasis on angiogenesis-related transcription factors. Analyses were performed in HeLa cells, representing a tumor cell line, and in EA.hy926 cells used as an endothelial model system. We have determined unique tsp of SOX18 gene, located 172 nucleotides upstream from ATG codon. Further, we have shown that SOX18 promoter region, -726 to -89 bp relative to tsp, contains positive cis-regulatory element(s) that stimulates SOX18 promoter activity, while region -89 to + 166 represents the minimal promoter. Within this region we have recognized the presence of essential element(s),positioned from -89 to +29, which harbors cluster of three putative early growth response 1 (EGR1) binding sites. By in vitro binding assays and functional analyses we have shown that these three putative binding sites are functionally relevant and sufficient for EGR1-induced SOX18 transcription. Mutations of these binding sites significantly impaired activity of the SOX18 promoter, particularly in EA.hy926 cells, indicating the importance of these regulatory elements for SOX18 promoter activity in endothelial setting. By data presented in this study, we have established SOX18 as a novel target gene regulated by EGR1 transcription factor, thus providing the first functional link between two transcription factors previously shown to be involved in the control of angiogenesis.

The Lack of Sex Differences in The Micronuclei Frequency in Umbilical Cord Blood Lymphocytes

Olivera Milosevic Djordjevic,Darko Grujicic,Dragoslav Marinkovic 한국유전학회 2007 Genes & Genomics Vol.29 No.1

Design, Development and Testing of the Modular Unmanned Surface Vehicle Platform for Marine Waste Detection

Vasilj, Josip,Stancic, Ivo,Grujic, Tamara,Music, Josip Korea Multimedia Society 2017 The journal of multimedia information system Vol.4 No.4

Mobile robots are used for years as a valuable research and educational tool in form of available open-platform designs and Do-It-Yourself kits. Rapid development and costs reduction of Unmanned Air Vehicles (UAV) and ground based mobile robots in recent years allowed researchers to utilize them as an affordable research platform. Despite of recent developments in the area of ground and airborne robotics, only few examples of Unmanned Surface Vehicle (USV) platforms targeted for research purposes can be found. Aim of this paper is to present the development of open-design USV drone with integrated multi-level control hardware architecture. Proposed catamaran - type water surface drone enables direct control over wireless radio link, separate development of algorithms for optimal propulsion control, navigation and communication with the ground-based control station. Whole design is highly modular, where each component can be replaced or modified according to desired task, payload or environmental conditions. Developed USV is planned to be utilized as a part of the system for detection and identification of marine and lake waste. Cameras mounted to the USV would record sea or lake surfaces, and recorded video sequences and images would be processed by state-of-the-art computer vision and machine learning algorithms in order to identify and classify marine and lake waste.

The Influence of the Braking Disc Ribs and Applied Material on the Natural Frequency

Oday I. Abdullah,Nadica Stojanovic,Ivan Grujic 한국정밀공학회 2022 International Journal of Precision Engineering and Vol.23 No.1

One of the important problems for which must be found an optimal solution is the noise that originate from vehicles. In this research paper, it was investigated deeply the effect of ribs shape and type of material on the noise of ventilated braking discs. Four different ventilated braking discs were selected to achieve the numerical analysis, all these brakes have the same overall dimensions, except the ribs shape is different. The materials used in this work are the cast iron, AMC and CCM for all four discs. The main aim of this paper is to find the optimal ribs shape, as well as the manufacturing material for the braking disc by applying Taguchi method. The percentage share of the ribs shapes as well as of applied material influence on the noise generation, were determined by applying Analysis of Variance—ANOVA. Finally, it was found that the material influence is most significant with 74.48%, while the ribs shape influence on the noise generation is 24.24%. The most optimal results obtained for the 2nd model which was made from CCM, compared with other suggested models.