Length–weight relationships for 47 coastal fish species from the northern Aegean Sea, Turkey

Length–weight relationships for 47 coastal fish species from Gökceada Island in the northern Aegean Sea, Turkey are presented. Samples were caught in depths of <30 m by gill and trammel nets between March 2004 and February 2005. The most abundant families were Sparidae (30%), Centracanthidae (19.9%), Serranidae (7.14%), Scorpaenidae (6.59%) and Labridae (6.09%). Estimates for parameter b of the length–weight relationship (W = aL^b) ranged between 2.08 and 3.73. The mean b‐value 3.03 ± 0.052 (SE) was not significantly different from 3. Significant differences between b‐values were found between sexes for Boops boops, Diplodus annularis, Mullus surmuletus, Pagellus acarne, Sarpa salpa, Spicara maena and Spicara smaris and between seasons for Diplodus annularis, Mullus surmuletus and Spicara maena.     

Genetic Relationships Among Some Hawthorn (Crataegus spp.) Species and Genotypes

The genus Crataegus is well distributed in Turkey as a wild plant, with numerous, inherently variable species and genotypes. RAPD markers were used to study 17 hawthorn genotypes belonging to Crataegus monogyna ssp. monogyna Jacq (2 genotypes), C. monogyna ssp. azarella Jacq (1), Crataegus pontica K.Koch (3), Crataegus orientalis var. orientalis Pallas Ex Bieb (3), Crataegus pseudoheterophylla Pojark (1), Crataegus aronia var. dentata Browicz (1), C. aronia var. aronia Browicz (4), and Crateagus × bornmuelleri Zabel (2). The 10 RAPD primers produced 72 polymorphic bands (88% polymorphism). A dendrogram based on Jaccard’s index included four major groups and one outgroup according to taxa. The lowest genetic variability was observed within C. aronia var. aronia genotypes. The study demonstrated that RAPD analysis is efficient for genotyping wild-grown hawthorns.     

A new therapeutic approach in Alzheimer disease: some novel pyrazole derivatives as dual MAO-B inhibitors and antiinflammatory analgesics

The increasing life expectancy in our population makes Alzheimer's disease (AD) a growing public health problem. There is a great need to find a way to prevent and delay the disease. It was shown that monoamine oxidase-B (MAO-B) inhibitors and antiinflammatory agents might be effective in treating AD. Therefore, a novel series of 1-thiocarbamoyl-3-substituted phenyl-5-(2-pyrrolyl)-4,5-dihydro-(1H)-pyrazole derivatives as promising MAO-B inhibitors was synthesized and investigated for the ability to inhibit selectively the activity of the A and B isoforms of monoamine oxidase (MAO). Most of the synthesized compounds showed high activity against both the MAO-A (compounds 3e-3h) and the MAO-B (compounds 3i-3l) isoforms. All the synthesized compounds were also tested for their in vivo antiinflammatory activity by two different bioassays namely, carrageenan-induced oedema and acetic acid-induced increase in capillary permeability in mice. In addition, analgesic and ulcerogenic activities were determined. The combined antiinflammatory data from in vivo animal models showed that compound 3k exhibited anti-inflammatory activity comparable to that of indomethacin with no ulcerogenic effects. Since compound 3k exhibits both antiinflammatory-analgesic activity and MAO-B inhibition, it needs further detailed studies.     

Homocysteine levels in acromegaly patients

Acromegaly is associated with a two to three-fold increase in mortality related predominantly to cardiovascular disease. The excess mortality is associated most closely with higher levels of growth hormone (GH). Survival in acromegaly may be normalized to a control age-matched rate by controlling GH levels; in particular, GH levels less than 2.5 ng/mL are associated with survival rates equal to those of the general population. Hyperhomocysteinemia has also been recognized as a risk factor for cardiovascular disease, yet there are limited data on the prevalence of hyperhomocysteinemia in patients with acromegaly. Eighteen acromegaly patients (7 male, 11 female, mean age 42.8 +/- 11.0 years) in our endocrine clinic consented to having the following tests performed: complete blood count (CBC), thyroid hormones, folic acid, vitamin B12, plasma homocysteine levels, uric acid, fibrinogen, CRP, fasting glucose, insulin, C-peptide, total serum cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, GH, insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and GH levels after an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). By history, fourteen had macroadenomas and four had microadenomas; eight had hypertension; two had glucose intolerance, and four had diabetes. Fifteen had had transsphenoidal or transfrontal surgery: two had been cured, but 13 others were taking long-acting octreotide. Five patients had undergone radiotherapy and the acromegaly in two was treated primarily with long-acting octreotide. CBC, thyroid hormone, folic acid, and vit B12 levels were normal in all patients. We divided the patients into two groups according to mean GH levels after an OGTT: Group 1 (GH<2.5 ng/mL, n=10), and Group 2 (GH<2.5 ng/mL, n=8). Comparison of the two groups using Mann-Whitney U testing revealed statistically significant lower levels in Group 1 of the following parameters: GH (1.91 +/- 0.90 vs. 8.58 +/- 5.55 ng/mL, p=0.002), IGF-1 (338.30 +/- 217.90 vs. 509.60 +/- 293.58 ng/dL, p=0.06), GH after an OGTT (1.42 +/- 0.81 vs. 9.01 +/- 4.53 ng/mL, p=0.001), plasma homocysteine (12.85 +/- 4.47 vs. 18.20 +/- 4.99 micromol/L, p=0.05), total cholesterol (164.0 +/- 20.81 vs. 188.0 +/- 22.26 mg/dL, p=0.05) and LDL cholesterol (81.0 +/- 9.64 vs. 116.70 +/- 13.03 mg/dl, p=0.01). Differences between the other parameters were not significantly different. Acromegaly patients with high GH levels after an OGTT have much higher levels of homocysteine than patients with lower GH levels. The role of elevated homocysteine levels as an independent cardiovascular risk factor in the mortality of acromegaly patients should be determined in future studies.     

Bone quality and healing in a swine vascularized bone allotransplantation model using cyclosporine-based immunosuppression therapy

Although vascularized bone and joint allotransplantation is a promising new treatment option for reconstructing large bone defects, the need for immunosuppressive agents to prevent rejection in these procedures poses a major problem. This problem stems from the fact that several of these agents can cause harmful side effects, such as alterations in bone quality and healing. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine what effect the commonly used immunosuppressant regimen cyclosporine A-based combination therapy has on bone quality and healing. In 10 pigs, vascularized bone allografts with skin and muscle components (osteomyocutaneous free flaps) were transplanted from size-matched donor animals. Recipient animals received oral cyclosporine A/mycophenolate mofetil/prednisone therapy for 90 days. Bone quality was studied before and after transplantation by measuring the bone's acoustic velocity and density and calculating the bone's elastic coefficient. Bone healing was assessed using radiographic analysis. Four animals were lost as a result of graft rejection or immunosuppression-related complications before the 90-day endpoint of the study. Although bone specimens taken from the six animals that completed the 90-day protocol had histological signs of rejection, they all seemed to have normal bone healing. Posttransplant bone density values were significantly decreased (p < 0.05) (1544.7 +/- 47.5 kg/m3) as compared with pretransplant values (1722.7 +/- 44.1 kg/m3). Results of the acoustic velocity and elastic coefficients measurements showed a significant decrease (p < 0.05) in posttransplant values (from 3503.0 +/- 165.1 meters/sec to 2963.0 +/- 54.6 meters/sec and from 21.6 +/- 2.2 GPa to 13.6 +/- 0.5 GPa, respectively), indicating diminished bone quality. The findings indicate that cyclosporine A/mycophenolate mofetil/prednisone combination therapy is ineffective in preventing bone rejection, that it decreases bone quality, and that it is associated with systemic toxicity, suggesting that this immunosuppressive regimen at the doses used in this study is not ideal for vascularized bone allotransplantation procedures.