Thymoquinone (TQ) is a monoterpene isolated from the oil of Nigella sativa seeds. The aim of this work was to evaluate the cytotoxic effects induced by TQ and its impact on the migration and invasion ...potential of 786-O human renal cancer cells. These cells were exposed to TQ (1–100 μM) for 24 and 48 h and cell viability assessed using the Crystal Violet and MTS assays. TQ treatment clearly decreased cell viability in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. TQ exposure moderately increased intracellular ROS levels and co-incubation with reduced glutathione markedly increased cell viability. Moreover, the effect of TQ in the cell cycle distribution was evaluated using flow cytometry, and an increase in the sub-G1 population was observed, especially at 30 μM, along with an increase in the % of apoptotic cells. TQ did not show genotoxic effects at a non-cytotoxic concentration (1.0 μM). At this concentration level, TQ significantly decreased the collective migration of 786-O cells, whereas it had no effect in chemotactic migration. TQ also decreased the invasiveness potential of 786-O cells, as evaluated by the transwell invasion assay. Overall, these results suggest that TQ presents an anticancer potential in the context of renal cancer, warranting further investigation.
•TQ induces concentration and time-dependent cytotoxicity in 786-O cells.•TQ induces ROS and the co-treatment with reduced glutathione increases cell viability of TQ-exposed cells.•TQ at high concentrations increases the sub-G1 population and % of apoptotic cells.•TQ decreases collective migration but not chemotactic migration of 786-O cells.•TQ decreases the invasive potential of 786-O cells.
Blindness due to retinal degeneration affects millions of people worldwide, but many disease-causing mutations remain unknown. PNPLA6 encodes the patatin-like phospholipase domain containing protein ...6, also known as neuropathy target esterase (NTE), which is the target of toxic organophosphates that induce human paralysis due to severe axonopathy of large neurons. Mutations in PNPLA6 also cause human spastic paraplegia characterized by motor neuron degeneration. Here we identify PNPLA6 mutations in childhood blindness in seven families with retinal degeneration, including Leber congenital amaurosis and Oliver McFarlane syndrome. PNPLA6 localizes mostly at the inner segment plasma membrane in photoreceptors and mutations in Drosophila PNPLA6 lead to photoreceptor cell death. We also report that lysophosphatidylcholine and lysophosphatidic acid levels are elevated in mutant Drosophila. These findings show a role for PNPLA6 in photoreceptor survival and identify phospholipid metabolism as a potential therapeutic target for some forms of blindness.
Fifteen patients with trichotillomania (TM) and 25 patients with obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) were studied. All patients were evaluated using the structured clinical interwiew for DSM-III-R ...(SCID-P). TM and OCD patients were compared with respect to demographic variables and the scores obtained from the various scales. The TM group had a greater percentage of women and showed an earlier age at onset. There was no significant difference for depression and anxiety assessed with the STAI, HRSA, and HRSD between the groups. Compared to OCD patients, TM patients had significantly lower scores on the Y-BOCS. The two groups were similar on the measures of resistance to and control of the hair pulling/compulsive symptoms. We found significantly higher incidence of anxiety and depressive disorders, and Axis II personality disorders for OCD patients. These findings are discussed in the view of results from earlier reports.
Hereditary ovarian tumour syndromes are a diverse group of hereditary syndromes characterised by the development of specific histotypes of ovarian neoplasms. While BRCA syndromes are exclusively ...associated with high-grade serous carcinomas, patients with Lynch syndrome show a preponderance of endometrioid subtype of ovarian and endometrial carcinomas. Distinct non-epithelial phenotypes, such as sex cord stromal tumours with annular tubules, Sertoli–Leydig cell tumours, and small cell carcinoma of the hypercalcaemic type occur in patients with Peutz–Jeghers, DICER1, and rhabdoid tumour predisposition syndromes, respectively. Gorlin–Goltz syndrome is characterised by the development of bilateral, multiple ovarian fibromas in 14–24% of patients. Ovarian steroid cell tumours and broad ligament papillary cystadenomas are characteristically found in women with von Hippel–Lindau syndrome. Recent studies have allowed the characterisation of tumour genetics and associated oncological pathways that contribute to tumourigenesis. Implications of the diagnosis of these syndromes on screening, management, and prognosis are discussed.
: Hereditary ovarian tumour syndromes•About 23% of ovarian cancers are associated with hereditary conditions.•High grade serous type in BRCA & Endometrioid type ovarian cancers in Lynch syndromes.•Sertoli-Leydig cell tumors in DICER1 & ovarian fibromas in Gorlin-Goltz syndromes.•Steroid cell tumor & papillary cystadenomas in VHL.•Small cell carcinoma of the hypercalcemic type in rhabdoid tumor syndromes.
Takayasu's arteritis (TA) is a chronic, inflammatory vasculitis affecting the aorta and its major branches. Although it is more prevalent in Far-East Asia, the distribution of the disease is ...worldwide with different vascular involvement patterns and clinical manifestations. The objective of this study was to evaluate the demographic, clinical, angiographic and prognostic features of TA patients in Turkey.
Clinical and angiographic findings of 248 TA patients (228 female, 27 male) followed at 15 Rheumatology Centers were prospectively evaluated according to a predefined protocol.
The mean age was 40.1 years (30.2 years at the clinical onset). Clinical manifestations included constitutional symptoms in 66%, absent or diminished pulses in 88%, bruits in 77%, extremity pain in 69%, claudication in 48%, hypertension in 43% and cerebrovascular accidents (CVA) in 18% of the patients. Renal artery stenosis, aortic regurgitation and pulmonary hypertension were present in 26%, 33% and 12%, respectively. According to the new angiographic classification, type V (50.8%) and Type I (32%) were the most frequent types of involvement. Corticosteroids were the main treatment in 93% of the patients alone (9%) or in combination with immunosuppressive agents (84%). Most frequently preferred immunosuppressive agents were methotrexate (63%), azathioprine (22%) and cyclophosphamide (13%). Remission was observed at least once in 94% of the patients and sustained remission in 71% during follow-up.
The demographical, clinical and angiographic findings of TA patients in our series were similar to those reported from Japan, Brazil and Colombia. Combination therapies with immunosuppressive agents were the preferred choice of treatment in Turkey.
Abstract
Introduction
The present study aimed to determine independent predictors of left atrial thrombus (LAT) in acute ischemic stroke patients without atrial fibrillation (AF) using ...transesophageal echocardiography (TEE).
Material and methods
In this single center, retrospective cohort study, we enrolled 149 consecutive acute ischemic stroke patients. All of the patients underwent TEE examination to detect LAT within 10 days following admission. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to assess independent predictors of LAT.
Results
Among all cases, 14 patients (9.3%) had a diagnosis of LAT on TEE examination. In a multivariate analysis; a previous diagnosis of cerebrovascular accident, elevated mean platelet volume (MPV), low left ventricle ejection fraction (EF) and a reduced left atrium appendix (LAA) peak emptying velocity were independent predictors of LAT. The area of MPV under the receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was 0.70 (95% CI: 0.57–0.83; p=0.011). With the optimal cut-off value of 9.45, MPV had a sensitivity of 71.4% and a specificity of 63% to predict LAT.
Conclusion
Patients with low ventricle EF and elevated MPV should undergo further TEE examination for the possibility of cardio-embolic source. In addition, this research may provide novel information with respect to the applicability of MPV to predict LAT in acute ischemic stroke patients without AF.
Figure 1
Funding Acknowledgement
Type of funding source: None
Miniaturized triblock copolymers have been found to self-assemble into nanostructures that are highly regular in size and shape. Mushroom-shaped supramolecular structures of about 200 kilodaltons ...form by crystallization of the chemically identical blocks and self-organize into films containing 100 or more layers stacked in a polar arrangement. The polar supramolecular material exhibits spontaneous second-harmonic generation from infrared to green photons and has an adhesive tape-like character with nonadhesive-hydrophobic and hydrophilic-sticky opposite surfaces. The films also have reasonable shear strength and adhere tenaciously to glass surfaces on one side only. The regular and finite size of the supramolecular units is believed to be mediated by repulsive forces among some of the segments in the triblock molecules. A large diversity of multifunctional materials could be formed from regular supramolecular units weighing hundreds of kilodaltons.
In this study, we aimed at evaluating the impact of HA330 hemoperfusion adsorbent application on inflammatory markers and end-organ damage markers in patients with sepsis/septic shock.
Patients who ...were diagnosed with sepsis/septic shock and treated with HA330 hemoperfusion adsorbent in addition to the standard treatment were included in this retrospective study conducted at Inonu University Turgut Ozal Medical Center between January 1, 2019 and January 1, 2021.
A total of 150 patients were included in the study. The mean±SD age of the patients was 51.9±17.7 years. 102 patients (68%) were in septic shock. Mean±SD APACHE II scores were 15.3±4.8. The need for mechanical ventilation was noted in 64 patients (42.7%). WBC, neutrophil count, hemoglobin, platelet count, BUN, creatinine, AST, ALT, CRP and procalcitonin levels were measured before and after the procedure. Overall, 104 patients (69.3%) died median (min-max) 2.5 (1-114) days after the cytokine adsorption, while 46 patients (30.7%) recovered from sepsis and were discharged. The increase in BUN levels and decrease in platelet count after the procedure were statistically significant (p≤0.001, 0.041, respectively) in the overall study population. The laboratory findings in 46 survivors indicated significantly decreased AST and ALT levels after cytokine adsorption compared to baseline pre-treatment levels. WBC, neutrophil count, CRP, procalcitonin, BUN and creatinine values were also decreased after cytokine adsorption in survivors, whereas the change was not statistically significant. There was also a non-significant tendency for an increase in platelet count and hemoglobin levels after cytokine adsorption compared to pre-treatment values in these patients.
Although no effect of HA330 hemoperfusion application on inflammatory markers and end-organ damage markers was demonstrated in our study, we used the HA330 hemoperfusion adsorbent method as a last resort in terminal patients with a mortality rate of approximately 90% and for whom antibiotic treatment did not benefit. Therefore, multicenter, prospective studies are needed to clarify the effect of early HA330 hemoperfusion use in the treatment of sepsis.
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