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Drought is a natural disaster that can have devastating economic, environmental, and social impacts on a global, national, and regional scale. Remote sensing technology is the most powerful tool to determine of drought categories and analyse drought severity, vulnerability and its trends. Because data that is temporal, quick, wide-area, and repeating can be obtained via remote sensing technologies. The calculation of drought indices with the use of remote sensing technology is crucial for assessing the severity of the drought and its evolution over time. In this study, the Central Anatolian Basin, one of Turkey's agricultural basins, was subjected to a temporal and spatial drought analysis between 2000 and 2023. In order to analyze the agricultural drought in the Central Anatolian Basin, drought indices such as Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Normalized Difference Water Index (NDWI), Normalized Difference Drought Index (NDDI), Vegetation Condition Index (VCI), Temperature condition index (TCI), Vegetation Health Index (VHI), Precipitation Condition Index (PCI), and Scaled Drought Condition Index (SDCI) were calculated. Moderate resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) data collection were used to calculate the NDVI, NDWI, NDDI VCI and TCI drought indices and PCI was calculated using the Climate Hazards Group Infrared Precipitation with Station CHIRPS data set. With the results obtained, the change in drought severity in the Central Anatolian Basin over the years was observed and drought severity, plant health status and surface temperature were compared. Additionally Temporal trend and Spatial trend of agricultural drought were determine using Sen's slope and The Mann – Kendal non parametric test. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to determine the association between platelet indices and disease severity, and outcomes of the patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in a secondary hospital. PATIENTS AND METHODS: 722 hospitalized patients who had positive rRT-PCR for SARSCoV-2 and/or typical findings of COVID-19 at chest computed tomography (CT) were enrolled in this study. Initial platelet count (PLT) and indices, including mean platelet volume (MPV), platelet distribution width (PDW), plateletcrit (PCT), MPV/PCT, MPV/PLT, PDW/PLT, PDW/PCT on admission and the third day of hospitalization, and their relationship with disease severity and outcomes were evaluated retrospectively. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 57.2±15.6 years (range: 16-94) and male/female ratio was 1.22. 81.9% of the patients had moderate and 11.8% had severe disease. 1.8% of the patients had thrombocytopenia at admission. The patients transferred to the intensive care unit (ICU) had significantly lower baseline lymphocyte counts, PLT, PCT, and 3rd day lymphocyte counts when compared with the patients in wards. ICU patients also had higher baseline CRP, LDH, ferritin, MPV/PCT, MPV/PLT, PDW/PLT, PDW/PCT ratios, and 3rd day PDW, CRP, LDH, and ferritin levels than the patients in wards. Mortality was associated with lower baseline lymphocyte counts, PLT, PCT, 3rd day lymphocyte counts and PCT. Higher baseline CRP, LDH, ferritin, MPV/PCT, PDW/PLT, PDW/PCT and 3rd day CRP, LDH, ferritin, procalcitonin, PDW, MPV/PCT, PDW/PLT, and PDW/PCT ratios were also associated with poor prognosis. CONCLUSIONS: Platelet count and ratios were significantly associated with mortality in patients with COVID-19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to unplanned and uncontrolled expansion of urban areas, rural land cover types have been replaced with artificial materials. As a result of these replacements, a wide range of negative environmental impacts seriously impacting human health, natural areas, ecosystems, climate, energy efficiency, and quality of living in town center. In this study, the impact of land surface temperature with respect to land cover and land use categories is investigated and evaluated for Istanbul, Turkey. Land surface temperature data was extracted from 21 October 2014 dated Landsat 8 OLI data using mono-window algorithm. In order to extract land use/cover information from remotely sensed data wetness, greenness and brightness components were derived using Tasseled Cap Transformation. The statistical relationship between land surface temperature and Tasseled Cap Transformation components in Istanbul was analyzed using the regression methods. Correlation between Land Surface Temperature and Meteorological Stations Temperature calculated %74.49. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The clinical perspective on transvenous lead extraction has significantly changed with experience, new techniques and tools. The laser asisted pacemaker lead extraction technique has been described as a highly successfull, effective and safe procedure. We present our experience with the excimer laser extraction procedure that we started in Turkey on May 1999. Materials: We performed a total of 24 leads extraction in 16 patients (7 females, 9 males) mean age 54 ± 21 years (range: 4-79 years) between May 1999 and December 2004 using the subclavian apporach with the CVX-300 Excimer Laser System (Spectranetics). The indications were pocket infection in 7 patients, lead dysfunction in 5 and lead fracture in 3 in bacterial endocarditis in 1. All leads had passive fixation except one. The leads were 6 atrial, 18 ventricular. The age of leads was 9.5 ± 4.5 years.Results The complete success was in 21 leads. Two leads were extracted by the locking stylet with simple traction. Nineteen leads were extracted by laser asisted device. Three leads could not be extracted. The locking stylet did not reach the tip in one lead, the tip of the lead fractured in one lead and was removed at open heart surgery. The 14 Fr laser sheat could not be advanced trough the right subclavian vein in one lead because of the heavy calcification around the lead, No complication occured during the procedure and the hospital stay. In one patient an arm edema devoloped 15 days later probably due to the subclavian vein thrombosis an resolved with warfarin therapy. Conclusion Although the number of our patients is small, the laser asisted lead extraction seems to be an effective and safe method in extracting chronic permanent pacemaker leads through the vein entry site. The clinical experience and appropriate training are needed to perform this procedure. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Volumetric muscle loss (VML) due to trauma and tumor removal operations affects millions of people every year. Although skeletal muscle has a natural repair mechanism, it cannot provide self-healing above a critical level of VML. In this study, nanocomposite aligned fiber scaffolds as support materials were developed for volumetric skeletal muscle regeneration. For this purpose, silver nanowire (Ag NW) loaded poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) nanocomposite fiber scaffolds (PCL-Ag NW) were prepared to mimic the aligned electroactive structure of skeletal muscle and provide topographic and conductive environment to modulate cellular behavior and orientation. A computer-aided rotational wet spinning (RWS) system was designed to produce high-yield fiber scaffolds. Nanocomposite fiber bundles with lengths of 50 cm were fabricated via this computer-aided RWS system. The morphological, chemical, thermal properties and biodegradation profiles of PCL and PCL-Ag NW nanocomposite fibers were characterized in detail. The proliferation behavior and morphology of C2C12 mouse myoblasts were investigated on PCL and PCL-Ag NW nanocomposite fibrous scaffolds with and without electrical stimulation. Significantly enhanced cell proliferation was observed on PCL-Ag NW nanocomposite fibers compared to neat PCL fibers with electrical stimulations of 1.5 V, 3 V and without electrical stimulation., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objective: The aim of the study was to determine the association between platelet indices and disease severity, and outcomes of the patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in a secondary hospital., Patients and Methods: 722 hospitalized patients who had positive rRT-PCR for SARS-CoV-2 and/or typical findings of COVID-19 at chest computed tomography (CT) were enrolled in this study. Initial platelet count (PLT) and indices, including mean platelet volume (MPV), platelet distribution width (PDW), plateletcrit (PCT), MPV/PCT, MPV/PLT, PDW/PLT, PDW/PCT on admission and the third day of hospitalization, and their relationship with disease severity and outcomes were evaluated retrospectively., Results: The mean age of the patients was 57.2±15.6 years (range: 16-94) and male/female ratio was 1.22. 81.9% of the patients had moderate and 11.8% had severe disease. 1.8% of the patients had thrombocytopenia at admission. The patients transferred to the intensive care unit (ICU) had significantly lower baseline lymphocyte counts, PLT, PCT, and 3rd day lymphocyte counts when compared with the patients in wards. ICU patients also had higher baseline CRP, LDH, ferritin, MPV/PCT, MPV/PLT, PDW/PLT, PDW/PCT ratios, and 3rd day PDW, CRP, LDH, and ferritin levels than the patients in wards. Mortality was associated with lower baseline lymphocyte counts, PLT, PCT, 3rd day lymphocyte counts and PCT. Higher baseline CRP, LDH, ferritin, MPV/PCT, PDW/PLT, PDW/PCT and 3rd day CRP, LDH, ferritin, procalcitonin, PDW, MPV/PCT, PDW/PLT, and PDW/PCT ratios were also associated with poor prognosis., Conclusions: Platelet count and ratios were significantly associated with mortality in patients with COVID-19.

Background: Lateral periodic discharges (LPDs) have been recognized as a common electroencephalographic (EEG) pattern in critically ill patients. However, management decisions in these patients are still a challenge for clinicians. This study investigates hemodynamic changes associated with LPDs and evaluates if this pattern is likely to represent an ictal, interictal, or ictal-interictal continuum phenomenon via non-invasive near infra-red spectroscopy (NIRS) with concurrent with continuous EEG., Methods: Seventeen patients admitted to the intensive care unit with LPDs on continuous electroencephalogram (EEG) were included. Participants engaged in NIRS recording-with scalp probes on right and left frontal regions simultaneously. Associations between LPDs laterality, primary frequency, NIRS a of cerebral oxygen saturation (SO 2 ), total hemoglobin concentration (tHb), oxygenated hemoglobin concentration (O 2 Hb), de-oxygenated hemoglobin concentration (HHb), and variables in participant medical history were studied., Results: Hemispheres with LPDs showed higher overall SO 2 when compared to non-LPDs hemispheres (57% vs 52%, p = 0.03). Additionally, mildly increased tHb, O 2 Hb, and mildly decreased HHb concentrations were detected in the hemisphere showing LPDs, but changes were not statistically significant. A higher primary frequency of LPDs was associated with lower cerebral SO 2 (Pearson correlation r =  - 0.55, p = 0.022) and O 2 Hb (Pearson correlation r =  - 0.52, p = 0.033). In patients with seizure during their EEG recording (64.7%), lower tHb (28.2 μmol/L vs 37.8 μmol/L, p = 0.049) and O 2 Hb (15.5 μmol/L vs 24.2 μmol/L, p = 0.033) were recorded in the LPDs hemisphere., Conclusions: This study demonstrates an increased cerebral SO 2 in the hemisphere with LPDs, and decreased SO 2 and O 2 Hb when the frequency of LPDs increases. The findings indicate that LPDs increase oxygen demand on the ipsilateral hemisphere. We infer that a threshold of LPDs frequency might exit, when the cerebral oxygen demand begins to supersede the ability of delivery, and saturation decreases., (© 2020. Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature and Neurocritical Care Society.)

Skeletal muscle is an electrically and mechanically active tissue that contains highly oriented, densely packed myofibrils. The tissue has self-regeneration capacity upon injury, which is limited in the cases of volumetric muscle loss. Several regenerative therapies have been developed in order to enhance this capacity, as well as to structurally and mechanically support the defect site during regeneration. Among them, biomimetic approaches that recapitulate the native microenvironment of the tissue in terms of parallel-aligned structure and biophysical signals were shown to be effective. In this study, we have developed 3D printed aligned and electrically active scaffolds in which the electrical conductivity was provided by carbonaceous material (CM) derived from algae-based biomass. The synthesis of this conductive and functional CM consisted of eco-friendly synthesis procedure such as pre-carbonization and multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) catalysis. CM obtained from biomass via hydrothermal carbonization (CM-03) and its ash form (CM-03K) were doped within poly(ɛ-caprolactone) (PCL) matrix and 3D printed to form scaffolds with aligned fibers for structural biomimicry. Scaffolds were seeded with C2C12 mouse myoblasts and subjected to electrical stimulation during the in vitro culture. Enhanced myotube formation was observed in electroactive groups compared to their non-conductive counterparts and it was observed that myotube formation and myotube maturity were significantly increased for CM-03 group after electrical stimulation. The results have therefore showed that the CM obtained from macroalgae biomass is a promising novel source for the production of the electrically conductive scaffolds for skeletal muscle tissue engineering.

Synthetic polymers remain to be a major choice for scaffold fabrication due to their structural stability and mechanical strength. However, the lack of functional moieties limits their application for cell-based therapies which necessitate modification and functionalization. Blending synthetic polymers with natural components is a simple and effective way to achieve the desired biological properties for a scaffold. Herein, nanofibrous mats made of polycaprolactone (PCL) and egg white protein (EWP) blend were developed and further evaluated for use as a scaffold for tissue engineering applications. Homogeneous distribution of EWP was achieved throughout the nanofibrous mats, as shown by immunohistochemistry. ATR-FTIR analysis and contact angle measurements have further confirmed the presence of EWP on the surface of the samples. The swelling test showed that PCL/EWP nanofibers have higher water uptake than PCL nanofibrous mats. Also, EWP addition on the nanofibrous mats resulted in an increase in the tensile strength and Young's modulus of the mats, indicating that the presence of protein can greatly enhance the mechanical properties of the mats. A significantly higher, more uniform, and dispersed cell spreading was observed on days 7 and 14 than that on neat PCL mats, demonstrating the importance of providing the required cues for cell homing by the availability of EWP. Hence, EWP is shown to be a simple and low-cost source for the functionalization of PCL nanofibrous mats. EWP is, therefore, a facile candidate to enhance cellular interactions of synthetic polymers for a wide range of tissue engineering applications.

Determination of a stem cell source with sufficient myogenic differentiation capacity that can be easily obtained in large quantities is of great importance in skeletal muscle regeneration therapies. Adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) are readily available, can be isolated from fat tissue with high yield and possess myogenic differentiation capacity. Consequently, ASCs have high applicability in muscle regenerative therapies. However, a key challenge is their low differentiation efficiency. In this study, we have explored the potential of mimicking the natural microenvironment of the skeletal muscle tissue to enhance ASC myogenesis by inducing 3D cellular alignment and using dynamic biomimetic culture. ASCs were entrapped and 3D aligned in parallel within fibrin-based microfibers and subjected to uniaxial cyclic stretch. 3D cell alignment was shown to be necessary for achieving and maintaining the stiffness of the construct mimicking the natural tissue (12 ± 1 kPa), where acellular aligned fibers and cell-laden random fibers had stiffness values of 4 ± 1 and 5 ± 2 kPa, respectively, at the end of 21 d. The synergistic effect of 3D cell alignment and biomimetic dynamic culture was evaluated on cell proliferation, viability and the expression of muscle-specific markers (immunofluorescent staining for MyoD1, myogenin, desmin and myosin heavy chain). It was shown that the myogenic markers were only expressed on the aligned-dynamic culture samples on day 21 of dynamic culture. These results demonstrate that 3D skeletal muscle grafts can be developed using ASCs by mimicking the structural and physiological muscle microenvironment.

Dual meshes are often preferred in the treatment of umbilical and incisional hernias where the abdominal wall defect is large. These meshes are generally composed of either two nonabsorbable layers or a nonabsorbable layer combined with an absorbable one that degrades within the body upon healing of the defect. The most crucial point in the design of a dual mesh is to produce the respective layers based on the structure and requirements of the recipient site. We herein developed a dual mesh that consists of two layers: a nanofibrous layer made of poly (glycerol sebacate)/poly (caprolactone) (PGS/PCL) to support the healing of the abdominal wall defect and a nondegradable, nonadhesive smooth layer made of polycarbonateurethane (PU) with suitable properties to avoid the adhesion of the viscera to the mesh. To prepare the double-sided structure, PGS/PCL was directly electrospun onto the PU film. This processing approach provided a final product with well-integrated layers as observed by a scanning electron microscope. Tensile test performed at the dry state of the samples showed that the dual mesh has the ability to elongate seven times more as compared with the commercially available counterparts, mimicking the native tissue properties. The degradation test carried out at physiological conditions revealed that PGS started to degrade within the first 15 days. in vitro studies with human umbilical vein endothelial cells demonstrated the double function of the meshes, in which PU layer did not allow cell adhesion, whereas PGS/PCL layer has the ability to support cell adhesion and proliferation. Therefore, the material developed in this study has the potential to be an alternative to the existing hernia mesh products., (© 2019 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.)

A key challenge in skeletal muscle tissue engineering is the choice of a proper scaffolding material as it should demonstrate elastic behavior to withstand and support the dynamic loading of the tissue microenvironment while being biodegradable and biocompatible. In this study, we tested the applicability of a novel biodegradable polyurethane (PU) elastomer chain extended with fibrinogen (Fib) to fulfill these requirements. Biodegradable polyurethane-fibrinogen (PU-Fib) elastomers were synthesized by step-wise condensation polymerization. Firstly, PU prepolymer was synthesized and then Fib was integrated into PU prepolymer during the second step of polymerization. The chemical, thermal, viscoelastic, mechanical and biodegradation properties of PU-Fib were characterized. FTIR-ATR spectrum showed amide bands specific to PU and Fib, DSC thermograms showed the suitable integration between the components. Dynamic mechanical analysis revealed Tg and Tα* transitions at 64.5 °C and 38.4 °C, respectively. PU and Fib had shown chemically compatible interactions and when compared to PCL, PU-Fib possessed viscoelastic properties more suitable to the native tissue. PU-Fib films were produced and seeded with C2C12 mouse myoblasts. Uniaxial cyclic stretch was applied to the cell seeded films for 21 d to mimic the native dynamic tissue microenvironment. Cell proliferation, viability and the expression of muscle-specific markers (immunofluorescent staining for myogenin and myosin heavy chain) were assessed. Myoblasts proliferated well on PU-Fib films; aligned parallel along their long edge, and express myogenic markers under biomimetic dynamic culture. It was possible to culture myoblasts with high viability on PU-Fib elastomeric films mimicking native muscle microenvironment.

Infrapatellar fat pad is a densely vascularized and innervated extrasynovial tissue that fills the anterior knee compartment. It plays a role in knee biomechanics as well as constitutes a source of stem cells for regeneration after knee injury. Infrapatellar fat pad-derived stem cells (IPFP-ASCs) possess enhanced and age-independent differentiation capacity as compared to other stem cells, which makes them a very promising candidate in stem cell-based regenerative therapy. The aims of this review are to outline the latest advances and potential trends in using IPFP-ASCs and to emphasize the advantages over other sources of stem cells for applications in orthopedic surgery.

Background: Malignant mesothelioma is a locally aggressive and highly lethal neoplasm of pleural, peritoneal and pericardial mesothelial cells without successful therapy. Previously, we reported that Quercetin in combination with Cisplatin inhibits cell proliferation and activates caspase-9 and -3 enzymes in different malignant mesothelioma cell lines. Moreover, Quercetin + Cisplatin lead to accumulation of both SPC111 and SPC212 cell lines in S phase., Methods: In present work, 84 genes involved in cell growth and proliferation have analysed by using RT(2)-PCR array system and protein profile of mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) family proteins investigated by western blots., Results: Our results showed that Quercetin and Quercetin + Cisplatin modulated gene expression of cyclins, cyclin dependent kinases and cyclin dependent kinases inhibitors. In addition genes involved in JNK, p38 and MAPK/ERK pathways were up regulated. Moreover, while p38 and JNK phosphorylations were increased, ERK phosphorylations were decreased after using Quercetin + Cisplatin., Conclusion: This research has clarified our previous results and detailed mechanism of anti-carcinogenic potential of Quercetin alone and incombination with Cisplatin on malignant mesothelioma cells.

Background and Purpose: With conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), 20-30% of patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) have negative pathological MRI findings. Further investigations of the role of magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) in the pre-surgical evaluation of patients with MRI-negative TLE are important to avoid intracranial EEG recording and to better understand the mechanism of the epileptogenic process. This study aimed to compare the measurements of N-acetylaspartate (NAA), creatine (Cr), and choline (Cho) in the hippocampi of MRI-negative TLE patients and normal subjects., Methods: Twenty patients with MRI-negative TLE and 10 age-matched healthy control subjects underwent MRI and MRS. The concentrations of NAA, Cr, and Cho and the ratios of NAA/Cr and NAA/(Cr+Cho) were measured. Seven of these 20 patients also underwent surgical treatment for TLE. Their pathological results and surgical outcomes were evaluated., Results: In the hippocampi ipsilateral to the seizure side, the NAA/Cr and NAA/(Cr+Cho) ratios were significantly decreased compared with the ratios of the hippocampi contralateral to the seizure side and the normal control hippocampi. There was no significant difference between the hippocampi contralateral to the seizure side and the normal control hippocampi. The pathological results from the patients who underwent temporal lobe resection indicated mild to moderate gliosis and minimal loss of neurons. Five patients were seizure-free during the follow-up period of 9- 47 months (mean 27.7 months)., Conclusions: In MRI-negative TLE, significant reductions in the NAA/Cr and NAA/(Cr+Cho) ratios ipsilateral to the seizure side may help lateralize and localize the epileptogenic zone., (Copyright © 2015 by the American Society of Neuroimaging.)

Constitutes of the venom scorpion are a rich source of low molecular mass peptides which are toxic to various organisms, including man. Androctonus crassicauda is one of the scorpions from the Southeastern Anatolia of Turkey with public health importance. This work is focused on the investigation of biological effects of Acra3 peptide from Androctonus crassicauda. For this purpose, Acra3 isolated from crude venoms was tested for its cytotoxicity on BC3H1 mouse brain tumor cells using tetrazolium salt cleavage and lactate dehydrogenase activity assays. To determine whether the cytotoxic effects of Acra3 was related to the induction of apoptosis, the morphology of the cells and the nuclear fragmentation was examined by using Acridin Orange staining and DNA fragmentation assay, respectively. Caspase 3 and caspase 9 activities were measured spectrophotometrically and flow cytometric assay was performed using Annexin-V FITC and Propidium Iodide staining. Furthermore toxic peptide Acra3 was used as an antigen for immunological studies. Results showed that Acra3 exerted very strong cytotoxic effect on BC3H1 cells with an IC50 value of 5 μg/ml. Exposure of the cells to 0.1 and 0.5 μg/ml was resulted in very strong appearance of the apoptotic morphology in a dose dependent manner. On the other side, not any DNA fragmentation was observed after treatment of the cells. Caspase 3 and 9 activities were slightly decreased with Acra3. Results from flow cytometry and lactate dehydrogenase activity assays indicate that Acra3 exerts its effects by inducing a stronger necrosis than apoptosis in BC3H1 cells. To evaluate its immunogenicity, monoclonal antibody (MAb) specific for Acra3 antigen (5B9) was developed by hybridoma technology using spleen and lymph nodes of mice and immunoglobulin type of antibody was found to be IgM. We suggest that Acra3 may exert its effects by inducing both necrotic and apoptotic pathway in some way on mouse brain tumor cells. These findings will be useful for understanding the mechanism of cell death caused by venom in vitro. Anti-Acra3 monoclonal antibody can be further used as a bioactive tools for exploring the structure/function relationship and the pharmacological mechanism of scorpion peptide neurotoxins., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The aims of this study are the investigation of the effects of fibronectin and type IV collagen extracellular matrix proteins and the role of caspase-3 and -9 on cis-platin induced U2-OS apoptosis were studied. First the cytotoxic effects of cis-platin on cell system were investigated by colorimetric method and than morphological and ELISA analysis were used for determination of cell apoptosis when induced with cis-platin. In addition, after adhering the cells to fibronection or type IV collagen proteins, the apoptotic rate and the effects of caspase-3 and -9 were also investigated by ELISA in presence of specific inhibitors. U2-OS cells showed 20% cytotoxicity after treatment with 2.4 microM of cis-platin for 48 h. Morphological and the numerical data showed that cis-platin was able to induced apoptosis on cells as a dose-dependent manner. Caspase-3 and -9 inhibitors inhibited cis-platin-induced apoptosis in U2-OS cells, respectively. The binding of cells to 10 microg/mL of fibronectin but not type IV collagen enhanced the apoptosis about 2.5 fold that effects inhibited with caspase-3 inhibitor. The caspase-3 and -9 are involved in the apoptotic signals induced by cis-platin in U2-OS. The binding to fibronectin, but not type IV collagen enhanced the apoptotic response of U2-OS and fibronectin-dependent apoptosis was activated by caspase-3. These finding might be useful for patients to fight against osteosarcoma.

The essential oil from the bark of Cinnamomum zeylanicum Blume was analyzed by GC-MS and bioassays were carried out. Nine constituents representing 99.24% of the oil were identified by GC-MS. The major compounds in the oil were (E)-cinnamaldehyde (68.95%), benzaldehyde (9.94%) and (E)-cinnamyl acetate (7.44%). The antimicrobial activity of the oil was investigated in order to evaluate its efficacy against 21 bacteria and 4 Candida species, using disc diffusion and minimum inhibitory concentration methods. The essential oil showed strong antimicrobial activity against all microorganisms tested. The cytotoxic and apoptotic effects of the essential oil on ras active (5RP7) and normal (F2408) fibroblasts were examined by MTT assay and acridine orange/ethidium bromide staining, respectively. The cytotoxicity of the oil was quite strong with IC(50) values less than 20 μg/mL for both cell lines. 5RP7 cells were affected stronger than normal cells. Morphological observation of apoptotic cells indicated the induction of apoptosis at the high level of the oil, especially in 5RP7 cells. The present study showed the potential antimicrobial and anticarcinogenic properties of the essential oil of cinnamon bark, indicating the possibilities of its potential use in the formula of natural remedies for the topical treatment of infections and neoplasms., (Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Some 2-substituted-1 H-phenanthro [9,10-d] imidazole compounds synthesized as a predrugs were tested in mutagenicity assays in Salmonella strains TA97, TA98, and TA100 using a plate incorporation assay both with and without S9 mix. The 10 substances were mutagenic in TA97 and five of them were mutagenic only with metabolic activation, whereas one of them did not require the addition of S9. The eight substances were mutagenic in TA98 only with S9. For TA100, seven substances showed positive results both with and without S9, however another four required S9, whereas only one of them did not required metabolic activation. In summary, all of 13 substances derived from phenanthro [9,10-d] imidazole were found to be mutagenic for at least one or two of the three strains and their mutagenicity are discussed.

Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) is a novel therapy used in patients with medically intractable epilepsy. We administered a Quality of Life in Epilepsy-10 (QOLIE-10) questionnaire consisting of questions designed to assess the patients' rating of their memory, level of physical and mental well-being, energy, depression, worries about seizures and work, social limitations, and overall quality of life on VNS treatment. The questionnaire was administered before and at 1-3 weeks, 5-7 weeks, 3 months, 6 months, and 9-12 months after the initiation of VNS in 17 patients. QOLIE-10 scores were significantly better after the initiation of the therapy as compared with baseline (P < 0.01). There was no correlation between the improvement in QOLIE-10 scores and the reduction in seizure frequency, decreased severity of seizures, or increased level of energy/alertness. We conclude that VNS therapy is associated with a significant improvement in subjective quality of life.

The authors compared the frequency of paranasal sinus inflammatory changes (SIC) on brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) obtained from 23 patients with new onset acute optic neuritis (ON) and 48 control patients who underwent outpatient MRI of the brain for reasons other than ON. The authors found a higher frequency of paranasal SIC in patients with ON (83%) than in controls (54%) (p = 0.02). The distribution of paranasal SIC (in ON and in controls) was maxillary (83% and 52%), ethmoid (4% and 2%), frontal (9% and 14%), and sphenoid (4% and 10%). Frequency of the maxillary SIC was significantly higher (p = 0.02) in patients with ON than in controls. Further evaluation of maxillary paranasal SIC with a grading system showed the presence of thickened mucosal lining of the sinuses (grade I) in 17% (ON) and 23% (controls), mucous retention cysts within the sinuses (grade II) in 48% (ON) and 25% (controls), and severe mucosal thickening with complete or near-complete filling of the sinus or an air-fluid level within the sinus (grade III) in 17% (ON) and 4% (controls). Combined frequency of grade II and grade III SIC was significantly higher in the ON group than in controls (p = 0.005), as was the frequency of grade III SIC alone (p = 0.02). Grade I SIC did not significantly differ between the groups. There was a trend (p = 0.09) toward a higher prevalence of bilateral sinus inflammatory changes in patients with bilateral ON. These findings suggest that ON may be associated with sinus inflammatory changes.

Purpose: Bitemporal interictal epileptiform discharges (IEDs) occur in < or =42% of scalp EEGs in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) studied with routine EEGs or partial analysis of long-term recordings., Methods: Twenty-eight patients with TLE demonstrating exclusively unilateral temporal IEDs on routine EEGs underwent 24-h continuous recording. The entire record was visually inspected for epileptiform discharges. We used continuous EEG to assess the significance of long-term recording in detecting bilateral IEDs., Results: Twenty-two patients had left temporal IEDs; 21 had right temporal IEDs. Seventeen (61%) patients had IEDs originating from both the right and left temporal lobes. The probability of detecting bilateral independent IEDs was correlated with the duration of continuous EEG recording. There was no correlation between the number of IEDs originating from one side and the probability of detecting independent IEDs on the other side. The frequencies of IEDs were not correlated with the length of time since onset of epilepsy., Conclusions: The findings suggest that when long-term recordings are performed, the incidence of bilateral discharges in TLE is higher than previously reported in the literature and supports the view that TLE is commonly a bilateral disease.

The nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS) is a major integrative site in the brain stem involved in central autonomic control. Several lines of evidence indicate that ATP, acting at P2x purinoceptors, and adenosine, acting at A2a adenosine (P1) purinoceptors, play synchronous roles as transmitter substances in NTS-mediated mechanisms of cardiovascular control. The purpose of this study was to examine regional vascular response patterns elicited by selective activation of purinergic receptor subtypes in the NTS. Adult male rats were anesthetized with a mixture of alpha-chloralose and urethane. Pulsed-Doppler flow probes were placed on the iliac, renal and superior mesenteric arteries via a midline laparotomy for measurement of regional blood flow velocities. The animal was then mounted prone in a stereotaxic unit and the dorsal surface of the medulla was surgically exposed in the region of the obex. Microinjections of alpha, beta-methylene ATP (alpha,beta-MeATP), a selective P2x purinergic receptor agonist, or 2-p-(2-carboxyethyl)phenethylamino-5'-N-ethylcarboxamidoadenosine (CGS 21680), a selective A2a adenosine (P1) receptor agonist, were made into the subpostremal region of the NTS via multibarrel glass micropipettes. Both alpha,beta-MeATP (25 and 100 pmoles/rat) and CGS 21680 (2 and 20 pmoles/rat) produced significant dose-related reductions in blood pressure and heart rate. These agonist-elicited depressor response patterns were associated with a pronounced and preferential dilation of the iliac vascular bed. However, alpha, beta-MeATP, but not CGS 21680, also caused significant dilation of the renal and superior mesenteric vascular beds, although lesser in magnitude compared to the iliac bed, whereas the hypotensive actions of CGS 21680 were considerably more prolonged compared to the very rapid and transient effects of alpha,beta-MeATP. These results support the view that extracellular ATP and adenosine via synchronous actions at specific purinergic receptor subtypes in the NTS may be functionally linked as neural signalling substances to selectively coordinate the regulation of regional vasomotor tone.

Harmane, a beta-carboline alkaloid reported to exert locomotor and psychoactive effects, is found in certain plants and also has been shown to exist in the mammalian brain as an endogenous substance. In this study, the effects of locally perfused harmane were examined on spontaneous neuronal activity in the nucleus accumbens of urethane-anesthetized rats. Extracellular single-unit recording, coupled with push-pull perfusion, enabled the discrimination of specific, dose-related effects of harmane across a wide concentration range. At lower concentrations (10(-9)-10(-11) M), excitation prevailed, while at higher concentrations (10(-8)-10(-6) M) depression was most pronounced. These findings suggest a neuromodulatory role for harmane in the forebrain reward system.