Investigation of insulin resistance gene polymorphisms in patients with differentiated thyroid cancer

We aimed to investigate insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS-1), insulin receptor substrate-2 (IRS-2), insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) genotypes, which are thought to be involved in the pathogenesis of many solid tumors and have thus far not been studied in patients with differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC). The study consisted of 93 patients diagnosed with DTC (79 females, 14 males) and 111 healthy control subjects (63 females, 48 males). The anthropometric measurements, lipid profiles, thyroid function tests and homeostatic model assessment (HOMA) as an indicator of insulin resistance (IR) of all patients were recorded. In addition IRS-1, IRS-2 and IGFBP-3 gene polymorphisms were determined by using polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism. Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium was tested for each gene polymorphisms, and genetic effects were evaluated by the Chi Square test and multiple logistic regression. Homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), body mass index, waist circumference and serum total cholesterol levels were significantly higher in patients with DTC than in the control group. There was no difference between the two groups with respect to IRS-1, IRS-2 and IGFBP-3 gene polymorphisms. In addition, these gene polymorphisms were found to have no effect on lymph node metastases or tumor staging. While, obesity and increased HOMA-IR may be risk factors in DTC development, we suggest that IRS-1, IRS-2 and IGFBP-3 gene polymorphisms do not play an important role in pathogenesis of DTC.     

The interrelations of radiologic findings and mechanical ventilation in community acquired pneumonia patients admitted to the intensive care unit: a multicentre retrospective study

Background

Burkholderia cepacia complex (BCC) bacteria are highly virulent, typically multidrug-resistant, opportunistic pathogens in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients and other immunocompromised individuals. B. vietnamiensis is more often susceptible to aminoglycosides than other BCC species, and strains acquire aminoglycoside resistance during chronic CF infection and under tobramycin and azithromycin exposure in vitro, apparently from gain of antimicrobial efflux as determined through pump inhibition. The aims of the present study were to determine if oxidative stress could also induce aminoglycoside resistance and provide further observations in support of a role for antimicrobial efflux in aminoglycoside resistance in B. vietnamiensis.

Findings

Here we identified hydrogen peroxide as an additional aminoglycoside resistance inducing agent in B. vietnamiensis. After antibiotic and hydrogen peroxide exposure, isolates accumulated significantly less [³H] gentamicin than the susceptible isolate from which they were derived. Strains that acquired aminoglycoside resistance during infection and after exposure to tobramycin or azithromycin overexpressed a putative resistance-nodulation-division (RND) transporter gene, amrB. Missense mutations in the repressor of amrB, amrR, were identified in isolates that acquired resistance during infection, and not in those generated in vitro.

Conclusions

These data identify oxidative stress as an inducer of aminoglycoside resistance in B. vietnamiensis and further suggest that active efflux via a RND efflux system impairs aminoglycoside accumulation in clinical B. vietnamiensis strains that have acquired aminoglycoside resistance, and in those exposed to tobramycin and azithromycin, but not hydrogen peroxide, in vitro. Furthermore, the repressor AmrR is likely just one regulator of the putative AmrAB-OprM efflux system in B. vietnamiensis.     

Genetic variants of SDF-1 and CXCR4 genes in endometrial carcinoma

In this study, we aimed to investigate a possible association between the Stromal cell-derived factor-1 (SDF-1) and CXCR4 polymorphisms and the risk of developing endometrial carcinoma. SDF-1 3??A and CXCR4 gene polymorphisms was performed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and restriction fragment length polymorphism in 139 healthy individuals and 113 patients with endometrial carcinoma. In our study groups SDF-1 3??A AA genotype frequency was higher in patients that of controls and individuals who had AA genotype showed a 2.6-fold increased risk for endometrial cancer. The carriers of CXCR4 T allele were higher in patients compared with controls and individuals who had TT genotype had a 2.5-fold high risk for endometrial carcinoma. Our finding suggest that there was no significant association between the (SDF-1) and CXCR4 polymorphisms and endometrium cancer risk. Further studies in a larger population are needed to better elucidate the role of (SDF-1) and CXCR4 gene polymorphisms in the risk of endometrial carcinogenesis. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to show such an association.     

Melatonin analogue new indole hydrazide/hydrazone derivatives with antioxidant behavior: synthesis and structure-activity relationships

Melatonin (MLT) is a hormone produced in the brain by the pineal gland, from the amino acid tryptophan. It is also an antioxidant hormone with a particular role in the protection of nuclear and mitochondrial DNA. In recent years, many physiological properties of MLT have been described resulting in much attention in the development of synthetic compounds possessing the indole ring. Sixteen MLT analogue indole hydrazide/hydrazone derivatives were synthesized and in vitro antioxidant activity was investigated. Most of the compounds showed significantly higher activity than MLT at 10(-3) M and 10(-4) M concentrations.     

The anticarcinogenic effect of propolis in human lymphocytes culture

The in vitro anticarcinogenic potential of propolis in human lymphocytes was investigated. Blood samples were obtained from ten healthy males, non-smoking volunteers, which were incubated and exposed to increasing concentrations of propolis (0.01, 0.05, 0.1, 0.2, 0.5, 0.7 and 1.0 ml). The mean micronucleus rates were 1.47±0.38–4.02±0.64. Mitotic index rates were between 19.45±2.22 and 0.28±0.33. The differences between the control and exposed cells were statistically significant (p0.05). We conclude that exposure to different concentrations of propolis cannot produce a carcinogenic effect in peripheral human lymphocytes in vitro. However, increasing micronucleus (MN) rates showed that propolis could have a carcinogenic effect in high concentrations.

Also chemical analysis of propolis sample was evaluated by GC/MS. Propolis sample mainly contains flavonoids, fatty and aromatic acids and their esters.     

Lifelong Consumption of Sodium Selenite: Gender Differences on Blood–Brain Barrier Permeability in Convulsive,Hypoglycemic Rats

The aim of this study was to compare the effects of hypoglycemia and induced convulsions on the blood-brain barrier permeability in rats with or without lifelong administration of sodium selenite. There is a significant decrease of the blood-brain barrier permeability in three brain regions of convulsive, hypoglycemic male rats treated with sodium selenite when compared to sex-matched untreated rats (p<0.05), but the decrease was not significant in female rats (p>0.05). The blood-brain barrier permeability of the left and right hemispheres of untreated, moderately hypoglycemic convulsive rats of both genders was better than their untreated counterparts (p<0.05). Our results suggest that moderate hypoglycemia and lifelong treatment with sodium selenite have a protective effect against blood-brain barrier permeability during convulsions and that the effects of sodium selenite are gender-dependent.     

Comparison of dichloran rose bengal chloramphenicol and Sabouraud dextrose agar with cycloheximide and chloramphenicol for airborne mold sampling

The more the mold species isolated on a culture medium, the more the sampling environment is represented accurately. According to the sampling purpose, it is crucial to use the best culture medium for mold. However, no study is available regarding the comparison of dichloran rose bengal chloramphenicol (DRBC) and Sabouraud dextrose agar with cycloheximide and chloramphenicol (SDA-CHX-CHL) culture media in terms of their application for airborne sampling, isolation, and identification of fungi. Airborne mold samples were impacted onto both DRBC and SDA-CHX-CHL, simultaneously using single-stage Andersen sampler. The limit of detection (LOD) value for airborne mold count was 7 CFU m^?3 (1 colony growth on the Petri dish). The total mold counts (TMC) ranged between <7 and 504 CFU m^?3 (med 56 CFU m^?3) and <7 and 1218 CFU m^?3 (med 259 CFU m^?3), collected on SDA-CHX-CHL and DRBC, respectively. Significantly higher TMC were observed on DRBC than on SDA regardless of the sampling environment (i.e, indoor or outdoor) (p < 0.05). Among the most predominant mold genera, observation frequencies of Penicillium spp. and Aspergillus spp. on both culture media were found to be more than 70%. Observation frequencies of Cladosporium spp., Alternaria spp., and yeast were found to be higher in samples collected on DRBC than those on SDA-CHX-CHL. Finally, DRBC was found to be superior to SDA in terms of both number of colonies and number of genera isolated from the air.     

Choline increases serum insulin in rat when injected intraperitoneally and augments basal and stimulated aceylcholine release from the rat minced pancreas in vitro.

Intraperitoneal injection of choline (30-90 mg.kg-1) produced a dose-dependent increase in serum insulin, glucose and choline levels in rats. The increase in serum insulin induced by choline (90 mg.kg-1) was blocked by pretreatment with the muscarinic acetylcholine receptor antagonists, atropine (2 mg.kg-1), pirenzepine (2 mg.kg-1) and 4-diphenylacetoxy-N-methylpiperidine (2 mg.kg-1) or the ganglionic nicotinic receptor antagonist, hexamethonium (15 mg.kg-1). The effect of choline on serum insulin and glucose was enhanced by oral glucose administration (3 g.kg-1). Choline administration was associated with a significant (P < 0.001) increase in the acetylcholine content of pancreatic tissue. Choline (10-130 microm) increased basal and stimulated acetylcholine release but failed to evoke insulin release from the minced pancreas at considerably higher concentrations (0.1-10 mm). Hemicholium-3, a choline uptake inhibitor, attenuated the increase in acetylcholine release induced by choline augmentation. Choline (1-32 mm) inhibited [3H]quinuclidinyl benzilate binding to the muscarinic receptors in the pancreatic homogenates. These data show that choline, a precursor of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, increases serum insulin by indirectly stimulating peripheral acetylcholine receptors through the enhancement of acetylcholine synthesis and release.     

Antibacterial activity and phytochemical evidence for the plant origin of Turkish propolis from different regions

Honeybees collect propolis from practically any abundant plant source in the neighborhood of the hive, be it populus, eucalyptus, pine, sugarcane, cashew nut or orange trees. We have described that the origin plants of Turkish propolis are Populus sp., Eucalyptus sp. and Castanea sativa. In our previous study, propolis samples from Middle Anatolia displayed the typical pattern of “poplar” propolis: they contained pinobanksin, caffeic and ferulic acids and their esters. The propolis samples examined in this study were shown not to contain polar phenolics. The main components of Eucalyptus propolis were aromatic acids, mainly cinnamic acid and its esters, that are usually found in Eucalyptus species resins. The second distinct sample originated from West Anatolia. Although it contained low amounts of phenolic substances and aromatic acids, its main components were sugars and glycosides. The study revealed that there was no significant difference between propolis samples in antibacterial activity, however the yeasts were shown to be more sensitive to eucalyptus-propolis. Gram negative bacteria were susceptible to none of the samples tested.