Health

Characterization and selection of olive clones for the production of olive oil is essential in Turkey because of its profitable exploitation. AP-PCR (Arbitrarily-Primed PCR) is a technique that can distinguish the genetic relationship among plant species and other organisms. In this study, AP-PCR approach was used in order to determine the genetic relationship of different six olive clones. The purity of DNA is one of the most important factors affecting the product of the AP-PCR method. In this respect, modified genomic DNA isolation procedure from Oleae europaea clones was developed so that this procedure can be used to obtain plant genomic DNA from diverse aromatic plants, which produce essential oils and secondary metabolites. By following the optimized AP-PCR amplification protocol, unique DNA fingerprint profiles for each olive clone were produced. AP-PCR-generated unique DNA fingerprint profiles can be used in the identification, distribution and diversity of various olive cultivars.

Objective: The pineal hormone melatonin plays a crucial role in immunomodulation, mainly by effecting T cells. The aims of the present study were to compare the melatonin levels in patients with Familial Mediterranean Fever (FMF) and healthy controls and to find out if it associates with interferon(IFN)γ and interleukin(IL)-10.Materials and Methodology: Twenty five patients with FMF and 16 healthy donors were enrolled into the study. Melatonin, IFN γ and IL-10 measurements were assayed by using enzyme immunoassay (EIA) method.Results: Serum melatonin levels at 03.30 am in both patients during attack-free phase and healthy controls were significantly higher than those levels of corresponding groups measured at 10.00 am. The melatonin levels at 03.30 and 10.00 am in patients during attack-free phase were higher than those levels measured in healthy controls at the same time points. IFNγ and IL-10 did not show any day and night rhythm in both patients and healthy controls. In addition, there was no association among day and night levels of melatonin, IFNγ and IL-10.Conclusions: We conclude that melatonin may play a role in FMF pathogenesis. However, its modulatory effect on immune response most likely does not depend on T cells. Further comprehensive studies should be performed in order to reveal the role of melatonin in the pathogenesis of this disease.

Background: Momordica charantia (MC) is a tropical plant that is extensively used in folk medicine. However, the knowledge about side effects of this plant is relatively little according to knowledge about its therapeutic effects. The aim of this study is to reveal the effects of non-allergic type-I like hypersensitivity to MC by an experiment which was designed in vitro. Methods: In the present study, the expression of CD63 and CD203c on peripheral blood basophils against different dilutions of MC extracts was measured using flow cytometry and compared with one another. In addition to this, intra-assay CV's of testing extracts were calculated for precision on reproducibility of test results. Results: It was observed that the fruit extract of MC at 1/100 and 1/1000 dilutions significantly increased active basophils compared to same extract at 1/10000 dilution. Conclusions: In conclusion, Momordica charantia may elicit a non-allergic type-I like hypersensitivity reaction in especially susceptible individuals.

Background Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) is an auto-inflammatory disorder characterized by febrile attacks. Increased acute-phase reactants are characteristic during febrile attacks. Ghrelin is a natural G-protein that decreases secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines and acts as anti-inflammatory agent. The aim of this study was to investigate whether there is any change in ghrelin levels and whether increases in ghrelin levels can be used as a marker in these patients. Subjects and Methods Thirty-seven male patients and 30 healthy men as a control group were included in the study. Blood samples were obtained for ghrelin measurements both before the attacks (pre-attack period; ghrelin 1 group) and during the attacks (ghrelin 2 group). Samples were kept at-80°C until the analysis was conducted and plasma ghrelin levels were measured using an immune-sorbent assay method. Results Mean ghrelin levels measured during the attacks were significantly higher (11.01 ± 4.78 pg/ml) as compared to pre-attack levels (5.78 ± 2.17 pg/ml; p \ 0.001). Similarly, mean ghrelin levels measured in FMF patients during an attack were significantly different from that of the control group (6.57 ± 4.13 pg/ml; p \ 0.001). Conclusions In this study, high ghrelin levels were measured during attacks in FMF patients. This finding is in line with previous results regarding the fact that inflammatory response arising during an FMF attack is an acute inflammatory event. Our findings suggest that ghrelin levels measured during FMF attacks could be used as a biochemical indicator for the FMF attack in FMF patients and that it could be used for support of the diagnosis of the disease.

Determining the distribution of HLA alleles may be helpful in routine HLA laboratory work, disease susceptibility studies and in searching unrelated bone marrow donors. Gülhane Faculty of Medicine is unique center for HLA typing at the ministry of defense in Turkey. So, the subjects of this study may represents all over the Turkish population. Methods: In the present study, allelic distribution of human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class-I and class-II loci were determined in unrelated healthy individuals of Turkey. The class-I and class-II alleles were investigated in 109 and 496 volunteers respectively, by PCR-SSP low resolution typing methods, and a total of 198 HLA-A, 215 HLA-B, 202 HLA-Cw, 691 HLA-DRB1 and 841 HLA-DQB1 alleles were identified. The homozygosities were not determined.

Angiogenesis is controlled by a variety of angiogenesis stimulators and inhibitors. The increased power Doppler (PD) signals determined by ultrasonography is an indirect marker of synovial vascularity in arthritis. We aimed to investigate relationship between ultrasonographic findings and synovial angiogenesis modulators. Thirteen Behcet's disease (BD), 15 spondyloarthropathy, 21 rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and 15 osteoarthritis (OA) patients with knee arthritis were included. Cumulative effusion, synovial hypertrophy, and PD signal scores were calculated in arthritic joints. In synovial fluid samples, angiogenesis inhibitors (angiostatin, thrombospondin-1, and endostatin) and stimulators [bFGF (basic fibroblast growth factor), angiopoietin-1] were studied. The comparisons between groups were made by Kruskal-Wallis test, and correlation analysis was calculated with Pearson and Spearman tests. Effusion scores were significantly higher in inflammatory arthritis than in OA. Synovial hypertrophy scores were higher in RA and spondylarthritis than in OA and BD. PD scores were not different between the groups. Synovial angiostatin and bFGF levels were significantly higher in patients with inflammatory arthritis than in OA. Cumulative effusion scores were positively correlated with angiopoietin-1, angiostatin, and bFGF and negatively correlated with thrombospondin-1 levels. Synovial hypertrophy scores were positively correlated with angiostatin and bFGF levels and negatively correlated with thrombospondin-1. No correlation was found between PD scores and modulators of angiogenesis. In large joints like knee, detecting PD signals alone was not sufficient to assess the angiogenesis. However, cumulative activity scores were positively correlated with angiogenesis stimulators. Therefore, when investigating the angiogenesis, PD technique should be added to gray-scale examinations.

Hypogonadotropic hypogonadism is a production failure of gonadal hormones due to a lack of gonadotropin secretion. Here, we aimed to determine the prevalence of genomic rearrangements in the KAL1, FGFR1, GPR54, and NELF genes in patients diagnosed with hypogonadotropic hypogonadism. Materials and methods: The study included 86 male patients with idiopathic hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (76 diagnosed with normosmic idiopathic hypogonadotropic hypogonadism and 10 with Kallmann syndrome). Additionally, 95 healthy controls were recruited to investigate rearrangements in the KAL1, FGFR1, GPR54, and NELF genes, using multiplex ligation dependent probe amplification. Results: From the 86 patients, 3 patients with Kallmann syndrome had heterozygous deletions in exon 9 of the KAL1 gene (probe target sequence: 5941-L05940), and 1 of these patients also had a duplication in exon 11 of the same gene (probe target sequence: 4427-L03813). Additionally, 1 patient with nIHH had a duplication in exons 14 and 18 of the FGFR1 gene (probe target sequences: 4440-L03826 and 4441-L03827, respectively). No deletions/duplications were identified in the GPR54 and NELF genes and no genomic rearrangement was detected in the control subjects. Conclusion: To improve our understanding of this complex condition and also for better genetic counseling and directing therapy, defining the genetic basis of these disorders is essential.

We aimed herein to investigate the killer-cell immunoglobulin-like receptor (KIR) genes and human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-C alleles in patients with common variable immunodeficiency (CVID), and to reveal their differences from those in healthy population. In all, 18 patients who have been diagnosed with CVID and 15 living donors of kidney transplant recipients were enrolled in the study. Polymerase chain reaction-sequence-specific primer (PCR-SSP) typing method was used in molecular genetic analysis. The frequencies of the genes in the study groups were statistically compared with each other using chi-square or Fisher exact tests, whichever were appropriate. Although there was no significant difference between both study groups with respect to distribution of KIR and HLA-C2 group genes, HLA-Cw7 allele frequency in patients with CVID was significantly lower than that in healthy population (P = 0.008). This present study results support that HLA-Cw7 allele, an inhibitor of KIR ligand,...

Aim: The relationship between inflammation and the development of colorectal adenocarcinoma has been described for a number of years. In this cancer, chronic inflammation causes cellular damage and DNA mutations responsible for the proliferation of transformed cells. Epidermal growth factor-like repeats and discoidin I-like domains 3 (EDIL3/DEL-1) were anti-inflammatory protein, especially in epithelial cells. Our study, it was aimed to clarify the link of among IL-17A, EDIL3/DEL1, and the main angiogenic factor VEGFA/B in colorectal cancer. Materials and Methods: We investigated EDIL3, IL-17, and VEFGA/B mutations profile and levels of m-RNA expressions in 594 colorectal cancer patients using bioinformatics analysis for the revealing relationship among these molecules. Additionally, PolyPhen-2 and SNAP tools were used to predict and confirm the pathogenicity of the detected mutations. Results: In colorectal cancer patients, the IL-17 and EDIL3 expressions were inversely correlated but the low correlation coefficient was statistically significant. EDIL3 and VEGFB m-RNA levels were found to be statistically significantly lower in the patient group than in the healthy group. Furthermore, 10 mutations were identified in the EDIL3. The study predicted the potential pathological effect of eight mutations in the EDIL3. Discussion: Low expression of EDIL3 might contribute to anti-inflammation, supporting extravasation of leukocytes to inflammatory area by increased IL-17 expression. Although further studies to clarify the mechanisms explaining the role of EDIL3 in tumor angiogenesis in terms of VEGF gene, and the interaction between IL-17 and EDIL3 are required, the results indicate that EDIL3 may be a good novel molecular target gene in inflammatory pathways for colorectal cancer.

Oseltamivir is an antiviral drug and is used in the treatment of all influenza viruses. It is the most effective antiviral option against all influenza viruses that can infect humans. UV and LC methods have been developed and validated according to ICH guidelines for various parameters like selectivity, linearity, accuracy, precision, LOD and LOQ, robustness for the quantitative determination of oseltamivir in pharmaceutical formulations. LC method has been performed using reverse phase technique on a C-18 column with a mobile phase consisting of 20 mM potassium dihydrogen phosphate solution and acetonitrile (60:40, v/v) at 25 °C. The mobile phase flow rate was 1.2 mL min−1. For the determination of oseltamivir, UV spectrum has been recorded between 200 and 800 nm using methanol as solvent and the wavelength of 215 nm has been selected. Both methods have demonstrated good linearity, precision and recovery. No spectral and chromatographic interferences from the capsule excipients wer...

Multiplex ligation dependent probe amplification analysis of KAL1, GNRH1, GNRHR, PROK2 and PROKR2 in male patients with idiopathic hypogonadotropic hypogonadism Przeprowadzona z wykorzystaniem zależnej od ligacji multipleksowej amplifikacji sond analiza genów KAL1, GNRH1, GNRHR, PROK2 i PROKR2 u pacjentów płci męskiej z idiopatycznym hipogonadyzmem hipogonadotropowym

Results: High expression profile of HMGB1 was determined in 8 different cancer tissues (colon adenocarcinoma, diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, glioblastoma multiforme, brain lower grade glioma, pancreatic adenocarcinoma, rectum adenocarcinoma, stomach adenocarcinoma and thymoma) when compared with the healthy tissues (p<0.05). The promoter methylation level of HGMB1 in different cancers was significantly lower. In addition, the level of expression and overall survival did not correlate in studied tumor samples. HMGB1 transcription level was associated with innate (monocyte, neutrophil) and adaptive immune cells (cytotoxic T lymphocyte and B cell) in tumor samples. Conclusions: The use of agents that inhibit HMGB1 protein may offer an effective approach, not only against the cancer cell proliferation, but also as a strategy to minimize the possible SARS-CoV-2 infection in cancer patients with high HMGB1 expression.

The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of KAL1, GNRH1, GNRHR, PROK2, and PROKR2 copy numbervariations in patients with idiopathic hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (IHH). 86 hypogonadal males (76 diagnosed with normosmic idiopathic hypogonadotropic hypogonadism [nIHH] andten with Kallmann syndrome [KS]) and 95 healthy control individuals were studied for the presence of aforementioned genomic rearrangements,using multiplex ligation dependent probe amplification (MLPA). We detected that of the 86 patients, three with KS had a deletion of the KAL1 gene in exon 9, one of whom also carried a duplicationin exon 11; and three with nIHH had a duplication of the PROK2 gene in exon 3; a deletion of the GNRHR gene in exon 1; anda duplication of the same gene in exon 2, respectively. No abnormalities were found in the patient group for the PROKR2 and GNRH1genes. In addition, no genomic rearrangements were identified in the healthy control individuals for the described genes. Def...

Background: A,D and E vitamins have a very important role in humoral and cellular immunity. Objective: The aim of this study was to compare serum levels of these vitamins in patients with various Primary immunodeficiency diseases (PIDs) and healthy controls. Materials and methods: Thirty patients with PID and 21 sex-and age-matched healthy controls were enrolled into the study. IgG, IgA and IgM levels, lymphocyte subsets, serum vitamin A, D, and E levels were measured. Results: Significantly decreased levels of vitamin-A and-E were found in the sera of all patients with PID compared to healthy controls. Serum levels of vitamin-A and-E were also lower in both PID subgroups than those of healthy controls. With respect to the levels of vitamin-D, no significant differences were observed in the comparisons of study groups. Serum vitamin A levels in patients with PID were positively correlated with serum vitamin E levels, respectively. There was no significant correlation among the measured vitamins in patient subgroups and healthy controls. Discussion: The present study indicated that patients with PID have low serum levels of vitamins A and E. There was not any difference with respect to the serum vitamin D levels between patients with PID and healthy controls. Our patients with PID, decreased serum vitamin A levels were positively correlated with decreased IgG levels. However, there was no significant relationship among their immunological parameters and vitamin E levels. In conclusion, vitamin-A and-E deficiencies associate to a considerable subgroups of PID.

Aims: Current tests used for the diagnosis of hypersensitivity reactions (HRs) due to radiocontrast media (RCM) are associated with important shortcomings. The present study investigated the diagnostic value of basophil activation test (BAT) in immediate HRs to RCM. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study with prospective enrollment. The skin test (ST) with RCM was performed in cases with suspicious immediate RCM allergy. The patients were categorized into four groups (G); G1: positive ST to RCM; G2: negative ST to RCM; G3: no RCM reaction; and G4: controls with no history of RCM use. BAT was performed using flow cytometry to analyze CD63 and CD203c expression in basophils. Activated basophil percentage (ABP), stimulation index (SI), mean fluorescence intensity (MFI), and the SI of the MFI (MFI SI) were compared across 4 groups. Results: A total of 42 patients (female: 73.8%, age 26 to 78 years) were evaluated. SI was greater in G1 (n=7) than in G3 (n=9) (p=0.05); MFI was greater in G1 than in G4 (n=17) (p=0.03); and MFI SI was greater in G1 than in G4 (p=0.03). Four subjects (57.1%) in G1 had an ABP of >5%, 3 subjects (42.8%) had a SI ≥2, and 5 patients (71.4%) had elevated MFI; the corresponding figures in G2 (n=9) were 2 (22.2%), 1 (11.1%) and 1 (11.1%), respectively. All three criteria were positive only in 2 patients in G1. Conclusions: This study suggests that, based on ABP, SI, and MFI assessments, BAT may represent a partially useful test in patients with a history of immediate RCM reactions.