RESUMO
A specific polymerase chain reaction [PCR] method was applied for identification of bovine [Bos taurus], ovine [Ovis aries] and caprine [Capra hircus] pure and binary mixtures of raw and heat-processed meats. These meats are used in food industry products and/or for direct consumption of consumers. The mitochondrial DNA was amplified as a template in a PCR reaction by use of specific primers related to each species. Specific primers with mitochondrial origin amplified amplicons with the length of 300, 172 and 122 bp in target regions in cattle, sheep and goat, respectively. For determination of the primer sensitivity a set of binary meat mixtures with 0.1, 0.5, 1, 5, 10, 50 and 100% based on weight ratio was tested. The detection limit was found to be 0.1% for all samples. In heat-processing program boiled water for 20 min, 121[degree sign]C for 20 and 30 min and 127[degree sign]C for 20 min by autoclaving was used, similar to the conditions that are used in pasteurization, sterilization and also meat processing in industrial factories. The performance of the method was not affected by prolonged heat treatments. The results obtained in the present study confirmed the efficiency of species specific primers for targeting of mitochondrial genome in order to detect bovine, ovine and caprine pure and binary mixtures of raw and heat processed meats with high sensitivity and accuracy
RESUMO
Evidence shows that the mortality rate of esophageal cancer [EC] in Ardabil Province is among the highest worldwide. Studies on the epidemiological profile of EC in Ardabil are scarce. We aim to study the characteristics of EC in Ardabil using data from the recently established Ardabil Cancer Registry [ACR]. This study has been accomplished based on data collected in ACR between 2004 and 2006. Cases reported to ACR were coded based on the third edition of the International Classification of Diseases for Oncology [ICD-O III]. The age-standardized incidence rates [ASR] and the standard rate ratio [SRR] have been calculated for each district in Ardabil Province. A total of 549 new cases of EC were registered within ACR during the study period. The ASR was 19.5 for men and 19.7 for women per 100,000 person-years. The majority of cases [79.1%] were diagnosed based on pathology. The most common morphology of EC was squamous cell carcinoma [SCC, 73%] followed by adenocarcinoma [17.8%]. The ASR was significantly higher in northern districts of the province [p < 0.001]; highest in Meshkinshahr [27.2/100,000] and lowest in Nir [7.6/100,000]. The male:female ratio approximated one in the northern and above 2.5 in the southern districts. Our results demonstrate that the increased incidence of EC in Ardabil is mainly due to an increase in the incidence of esophageal adenocarcinoma [ACE] during recent years. The almost equal incidence of EC among men and women, and its geographical pattern across the province indicate the possible role of environmental risk factors, which need further investigations