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Human estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) is considered an important target, especially in the treatment of breast cancer, as it has a vital role in cancer development. ERα-targeted therapies generally target the ligand binding domain (LBD) of ERα. However, over time, cells develop resistance to this mechanism alternative approaches to inhibit ERα activity target ERα–DNA or ERα–cofactor interactions. Inhibitors of ERα–cofactor interactions are designed by targeting the hydrophobic hollow region of the receptor box LXXLL motif.

Diabetes is a chronic group of metabolic disorders those generally present with hyperglycemia hence insulin synthesis defects due to multifactorial causes in beta cells in the Langerhans islets of the pancreas. In the development of diabetes, genetic predisposition is as important as environmental factors. As a result of polymorphism studies in diabetic patients, many genes were associated with the development of diabetes. In our study, we aimed to represent the relationship between diabetes and certain variants of the ghrelin (GHRL), fat mass and obesity-associated protein (FTO) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma coactivator (PGC-1α) genes which are generally associated with diabetes and obesity.

Background. Alpha lipoic acid (ALA) acts as essential co-factor for mitochondrion respiratory enzymes. It has an increasing importance in diabetic neuropathy treatment. Its positive effects on weight gain and metabolic parameters have also been discussed. In this study, we aimed to search for the effect of ALA on weight, appetite, adiponectin and metabolic parameters in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients. Methods. This study is designed as a randomised, double-blind, placebo controlled, prospective study. 23 type 2 diabetes mellitus patients with peripheral neuropathy (6 normal weight, 17 obese) and 21 normal weight control group were included in the study. Patients were given 600mg/day oral ALA for 6 weeks, added to their routine therapy. Body mass index (BMI), adiponectin, fasting plasma glucose, HbA1C, lipid parameters and CRP levels were tested before and after ALA treatment. Results were evaluated using SPSS 15.0 for Windows. Results. Adiponectin levels were statistically significantly lower and CRP levels were higher in diabetes group when compared to control group. Although ALA treatment caused a slight weight loss, it was not statistically significant. Appetite scores were decreased in the diabetes group but it did not cause statistically significant weight loss. There was no significant change in metabolic parameters or adiponectin after the treatment. Conclusions. 600mg/dL ALA treatment for 6 weeks did not favor for metabolic parameters in type 2 diabetes patients. This result might be due to the dose or the duration of the treatment, genetic predisposition or dietery habits. Trial of higher doses for long terms might be needed for recovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spondyloarthropathies (SpAs), are a group of chronic inflammatory diseases with a number of genetic, physiopathological, clinical and radiological features. Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is the most common type of spondylo-arthropathies, and >90.0% of patients with ankylosing spondylitis are human leukocyte antigen-B27 (HLA-B2 7)-positive. In recent years, non-HLA genetic factors have been reported to have an effect on ankylosing spondylitis. MicroRNAs (miRNAs), are endogenous non coding RNA molecules containing 18-23 nucleotides that play a role in the post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression. In this study, we aimed to determine the expression levels of miRNAs associated with T- and B-cell differentiation/stimulation in peripheral blood mononuclear cells and their relationship with the etiology of the AS in patients and healthy controls. In a molecular study, peripheral blood mononuclear cell isolation, and total RNA isolation were performed first. In the second step, cDNA synthesis and quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) expression analysis were completed. Ultimately, in the patient and control group, the expression levels of miR-142-5p and miR-143 were found to be significantly different (p

Introduction. Salusins are multifunctional endogenous peptides shown in human and rat tissues. Serum salusin α level is decreased in coronary artery disease and lack of salusin α enhances coronary atherosclerosis. Hypothyroidism is a chronic inflammatory disease that has a high risk of developing cardiovascular disease. Here we aimed to search the relationship of overt hypothyroidism and subclinical hypothyroidism with salusin α and other inflammatory markers, also the effect of L-thyroxine treatment on these findings. Material and Methods. 32 patients with overt hypothyroidism taking L-thyroxine treatment, 18 patients with subclinical hypothyroidism without treatment and 25 healthy patients as control group were included in the study. Serum salusin α, TNF α, sCRP, glucose, insulin and lipid levels were tested for all groups and results were evaluated with SPSS statistical analysis method. Results. HDL, sCRP, salusin mean values were statistically significantly different in all 3 groups. HDL level was statistically significantly higher in control group compared to treatment group. sCRP level was higher and salusin level was lower in both treatment and non-treatment hypothyroidism groups compared to control group. When treatment and non-treatment hypothyroidism groups were compared, there was no statistically significant difference for salusin α, but HDL level was high and insulin level was low statistically significant in treatment group. Conclusions. Salusin α that is shown to be protective for coronary artery disease and hypertension, is found to be significantly low in hypothyroidism, thus it is a marker that increases the cardiovascular disease risk in this specific patient group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Hashimoto's thyroiditis is a common endocrinological disorder that often coexists with obesity. Thyroid hormones interact with the regulation of sex steroids, and thyroid autoimmunity has a negative impact on female fertility. There are studies showing when euthyroid state is achieved with hormone replacement therapy (HRT), the reproductive hormone profile is improved but they usually compare the reproductive hormones before and after HRT in the same individuals. Studies comparing patients with Hashimoto's thyroiditis in an euthyroid state receiving HRT with individuals having normal thyroid function are limited. Here, it was aimed to search the impact of euthyroid Hashimoto's thyroiditis on reproductive hormone profile in women living with obesity. Materials and Methods: Sixty-one randomly selected female patients with Hashimoto's thyroiditis were included as the case group and 60 patients without Hashimoto's thyroiditis were included as the control group, from our obesity center. The case group included patients who had menstrual cycles and were euthyroid under l-thyroxine treatment for at least 6 months. Data on weight, height, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), free thyroxine (fT4), thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), thyroid peroxidase antibody (anti-TPO), cortisol, insulin, prolactin (PRL), follicular stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), estradiol (E 2 ), progesterone (prog), testosterone (T), and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) levels, l-thyroxine treatment dosage (for case group), and accompanying diseases were recorded. The results were evaluated using SPSS. Results: A total of 121 patients were included in the study. Mean age was 41.8 ± 8.5 years in case and 38.6 ± 8.9 years in control group. There was no significant difference in weight, height, BMI, WC, or accompanying diseases between Hashimoto's thyroiditis and control group. fT4, anti-TPO, cortisol levels were higher in Hashimoto's thyroiditis group when compared with control group, but there was no significant difference for TSH, insulin, FSH, LH, E 2 , prog, T, DHEAS, or PRL. Conclusion: In women living with obesity, it is important to screen for Hashimoto's thyroiditis and achieve euthyroidism through effective LT4 treatment to promote a healthy reproductive system and improve fertility rates.

Rates of obesity continue to rise, including in older adults. Use of medication for obesity in the elderly has been considered controversial, due to concerns around potential progression of age-related sarcopenia and a general lack of evidence for its use in this age group. Within this review, we describe the general considerations when prescribing obesity pharmacotherapy for older adults living with obesity. We evaluate in detail the anti-obesity medications currently licenced in Europe, with emphasis on the available efficacy, safety and cardiovascular outcome data gathered from study of older people. Finally, we discuss future directions and avenues of research., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest LB and FA have no conflicts of interest to declare. DY has received honoraria from Novo Nordisk for providing educational sessions and attending advisory boards. BMcG is a Reset Health shareholder, advisor to Novo Nordisk, Eli Lilly and Pfizer, has received educational and speaker fees from Novo Nordisk, Eli Lilly and Amgen and received research grants from Novo Nordisk. VY reports honoraria from Eli Lilly for providing a single advisory activity and from Novo Nordisk for providing educational sessions and attending advisory boards., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Early developmental exposure to alcohol has been implicated in adverse effects on the brain, often associated with the onset of neurodevelopmental disorders. Moreover, maternal alcohol consumption during pregnancy has been linked to the manifestation of mental health disorders, such as depression and anxiety, in subsequent generations. These mood disturbances may be attributed to alterations in protein expressions related to depression and anxiety within the hippocampus. While the precise mechanisms remain elusive, it is likely that pre- and postnatal exposure to alcohol induces changes in hippocampus, potentially through epigenetic modifications. The FKBP5 gene, known to modulate the stress response, is particularly relevant in this context. We postulate that alcohol-induced methylation of the FKBP5 gene disrupts HPA axis function, thereby prompting individuals to anxiety-like and depressive-like behaviors. To investigate this hypothesis, female C57BL/6 pups were subjected to early alcohol exposure via intubation with ethanol mixed in artificial milk from Postnatal Day 3 to Day 20. The intubation control pups were subjected to the same procedures without ethanol or milk, and a non-intubated control group included. Anxiety-like and depressive-like behaviors were assessed using the open field test, plus maze test, forced swim test, and tail suspension test when the pups reached 3 months of age. For epigenetic analysis of the FKBP5 gene, genomic DNA was isolated from hippocampal tissues and subjected to bisulfite conversion to distinguish methylated and unmethylated cytosines. Then, methylation-specific PCR was performed to assess methylation levels. Pups exposed to early postnatal alcohol exhibited increased levels of depression-like behavior and susceptibility to anxiety-like behavior during adolescence, as verified by behavioral assessments. Methylation profiling revealed higher rates of methylation within the stress-associated gene FKBP5 in both the early postnatal alcohol-exposed cohort (13.82%) and the intubation control group (3.93%), in contrast to the control cohort devoid of stress or alcohol exposure. These findings suggest a potential epigenetic mechanism underlying the observed behavioral alterations, implicating FKBP5 methylation as a candidate mediator of the increased vulnerability to mood disorders following early postnatal alcohol exposure., 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 © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: The increasing prevalence of depression among older adults is a growing concern. Chronic health conditions, cognitive impairments, and hospitalizations amplify emotional distress and depression levels in this population. Assessing the quality of life is crucial for the well-being of older adults., Aims: Our study aimed to examine how comorbidities affect depression and quality of life in geriatric patients in both outpatient and hospital settings., Methods: 100 patients (50 from internal medicine outpatient clinic and 50 from internal medicine ward) were included in the study according to inclusion and exclusion criteria. Patients were classified into different age groups (65-74 years, 75-84 years and ≥ 85 years). Data on patients' location of application, age, sex, living alone or with family status, number of comorbid diseases, types of accompanying diseases were recorded and WHOQOL-OLD and Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) questionnaires were administered. Results were evaluated using SPSS., Results: The WHOQOL-OLD questionnaire score was higher in the 65-74 age group compared to other groups, but there was no significant difference between outpatient group and hospitalized group. Patients with comorbid diseases had lower WHOQOL-OLD questionnaire scores compared to those without comorbid diseases. In the 75-84 and ≥ 85 age groups, the GDS scores were higher compared to the 65-74 age group. In hospitalized group, GDS scores were higher than outpatient clinic group. In patients with comorbid diseases, GDS scores were higher than the ones without comorbid diseases., Discussion: Our findings indicate that quality of life is higher among those aged 65-74, with lower incidence of depression compared to other age groups. Hospitalization correlates with higher depression rates but not quality of life. As number of comorbid diseases increases in older adults, the frequency of depression rises and the quality of life declines., Conclusions: Early detection and intervention for depression are crucial for enhancing older adults' well-being., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

microRNAs (miRNAs) play a significant role in the pathophysiology of Parkinson's disease. In this study, we evaluated the neuroprotective effect of thymoquinone on the expression profiles of miRNA and cognitive functions in the 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA)-induced Parkinson's model. Male adult Wistar albino rats (200-230 g, n  = 36) were randomly assigned to six groups: Sham, thymoquinone (10 mg/kg, p.o.), 6-OHDA, 6-OHDA + thymoquinone (10 mg/kg), 6-OHDA + thymoquinone (20 mg/kg), and 6-OHDA + thymoquinone (50 mg/kg). Behavioral changes were detected using the open field and the elevated plus maze tests. The mature 728 miRNA expressions were evaluated by miRNA microarray (GeneChip miRNA 4.0). Ten miRNAs were selected (rno-miR-212-5p, rno-miR-146b-5p, rno-miR-150-5p, rno-miR-29b-2-5p, rno-miR-126a-3p, rno-miR-187-3p, rno-miR-34a-5p, rno-miR-181d-5p, rno-miR-204-3p, and rno-miR-30c-2-3p) and confirmed by real-time PCR. Striatum samples were stained with hematoxylin-eosin to determine the effect of dopaminergic lesions. One-way ANOVA test and independent sample t -test were used for statistical analyses. rno-miR-204-3p was upregulated at 6-OHDA and downregulated at the 50 mg/kg dose of thymoquinone. In conclusion, thymoquinone at a dose of 50 mg/kg ameliorates symptoms of Parkinson's disease in a 6-OHDA rat model by downregulation of miR-204-3p. Also, the results showed that thymoquinone can improve locomotor activity and willing exploration and decreased anxiety. Therefore, thymoquinone can be used as a therapeutic agent., (Copyright © 2024 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose of Review: The proposed expert opinion was prepared by a panel of obesity and law specialists from Turkey to review the utility of telemedicine in obesity care and to provide a guidance document with recommendations on a hybrid multidisciplinary integrated care follow-up algorithm and the legislation governing telemedicine practice to assist obesity specialists in practicing the telemedicine., Recent Findings: The efficacy and feasibility of telemedicine interventions in supporting obesity management programs even during pandemics confirm that obesity is a particularly well-suited field for telemedicine, emphasizing the strong likelihood of continued utilization of telemedicine in obesity management, beyond the pandemic period. Telemedicine has great potential to address several barriers to ongoing weight-management care, such as challenges of access to specialized care, cost, and time limitations as well as patient adherence to treatment. However, telemedicine practice should complement rather than replace the in-person visits which are unique in building rapport and offering social support. Accordingly, the participating experts recommend the use of a hybrid integrated care model in the management of obesity, with the use of telemedicine, as an adjunct to in-person visits, to enable the provision of suggested intensive obesity management via frequent visits by a multidisciplinary team of obesity specialists. Further research addressing the utility of telemedicine in terms of optimal modality and duration for successful long-term obesity management outcomes is necessary to develop specific guidelines on telemedicine practice. In addition, the legislation governing the norms and protocols on confidentiality, privacy, access, and liability needs to be improved., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Background: Dynapenic abdominal obesity (DAO) is the combination of low muscle strength and high central adiposity, which can lead to functional and cardiometabolic impairments. Objective: The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between DAO and metabolic parameters in non-geriatric patients with obesity. Methods: All patients seen in the obesity outpatient clinic during a random month, along with 30 healthy individuals, were included in the study. Body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), hip circumference (HC), serum fasting blood glucose, triglyceride, high-density lipoprotein, low-density lipoprotein (LDL), insulin, and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels were measured. Muscle function tests were conducted. Hypertension and diabetes mellitus diagnoses were recorded. DAO was determined using handgrip strength and WC. Metabolic syndrome was defined based on International Diabetes Federation (IDF) criteria. Data were analyzed using SPSS. Results: A total of 106 individuals participated in the study, including 76 individuals with obesity as the case group and 30 healthy individuals as the control group. In the case group, BMI, WC, HC, and chair stand test results were higher compared to the control group. There was no significant difference between the case and control groups in terms of gait speed or handgrip test results. In the case group, 30 people (39.5%) had dynapenic obesity (DO), and in the control group, 8 people (26.7%) had DO. There was no significant difference in DO rates between the case and control groups. In the case group, the HbA1c level was higher in DO (+) group than DO (-) group. In the control group, DO (+) group had higher LDL and HbA1c level than DO (-) group. No significant difference was observed in other search parameters between the DO (+) and DO (-) groups in both the case and control groups. Conclusion: DAO is common among people with obesity and contributes to a poor prognosis, increased morbidity, and mortality. Therefore, including its treatment in the management of obesity is crucial for individuals of all age ranges.

Objective: We always confirm the diagnosis of syndesmotic injury with a Hook test for all ankle fractures and fixed if necessary. Then, we noticed a discrepancy between preoperative radiology and the Hook test. Moreover, we want to report the reliability of syndesmotic fixation decisions with Hook test and preoperative radiology., Methods: A total of 37 surgically treated patients with isolated Weber type C ankle fractures were included in the study. In all patients, the syndesmosis joint was injured in preoperative computed tomography and X-ray imaging. However, only patients with (+) Hook tests had undergone a syndesmosis fixation. Patients were divided into two groups: Group A: Hook tests (+) and Group B: Hook test (-). Also, the groups were compared according to clinical outcomes with the Visual Analog Scale (VAS), American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS), and foot and ankle disability index (FADI) scores., Results: The mean participant age was 39 (19-80) years, and the mean follow-up period was 47.27 (22-68) months. Groups A and B consisted of 17 (45.9%) and 20 (54.1%) patients, respectively. The mean VAS, AOFAS, and FADI scores were 17.7±14.3, 90.32±8.06, and 92.9±6.88, respectively. "Excellent" and "good" results were found in 34 (%91.8) patients according to AOFAS nad FADI. The malreduction rate was 8.1% in all patients, 5% in group A, and 11.8% in group B. No statistically significant differences in final functional scores were found between groups A and B., Conclusion: Hook test is reliable and adequate for evaluating the stability and quality of syndesmosis reduction. Weber type C lateral malleolar fractures in the decision of syndesmosis fixation; although syndesmosis injury is diagnosed in preoperative radiology, we recommend that the diagnosis be confirmed with the Hook test., Competing Interests: No conflict of interest was declared by the authors., (© Copyright 2024 by Istanbul Provincial Directorate of Health.)

Background: The relation between micro-RNA (miRNA) modulation and immune cell activity in high-dose radiation settings is not clearly understood., Objective: To investigate the role of stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) in (i) the regulation of tumorsuppressor and oncogenic miRNAs as well as (ii) its effect on specific immune cell subsets in patients with metastatic brain tumors (MBT)., Methods: 9 MBT patients who underwent gamma knife-based stereotactic radiosurgery (GKRS) and 8 healthy individuals were included. Serum samples were isolated at three-time intervals (before GKRS, 1 hour, and 1-month post-GKRS). Expressions of tumor-suppressor (miR-124) and oncogenic (miR-21, miR-181a, miR-23a, miR-125b, and miR-17) miRNAs were quantified by qPCR. The lymphocytic frequency (CD3 + , CD4 + , CD8 +, CD56 + , CD19 + , and CD16 + ) was investigated by means of flow cytometry., Results: The median age was 64 years (range: 50-73 years). The median prescription dose was 20Gy (range: 16Gy-24Gy), all delivered in a single fraction. The median overall survival and progression- free survival were 7.8 months (range: 1.7-14.9 months) and 6.7 months (range: 1.1-11.5 months), respectively. Compared to healthy controls, baseline levels of oncogenic miRNAs were significantly higher, while tumor-suppressing miRNA levels remained markedly lower in MBT patients prior to GKRS. Following GKRS, there was a reduction in the expression of miR-21, miR-17, and miR-181a; simultaneously, increased expression increased of miR-124 was observed. No significant difference in immune cell subsets was noted post GKRSIn a similar fashion. We noted no correlation between patient characteristics, radiosurgery data, miRNA expression, and immune cell frequency., Conclusion: For this specific population with MBT disease, our data suggest that stereotactic radiosurgery may modulate the expression of circulating tumor-suppressor and oncogenic miRNAs, ultimately enhancing key anti-tumoral responses. Further evaluation with larger cohorts is warranted., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.)

Cardiac hypertrophy (CH) is an adaptational enlargement of the myocardium, in exposure to altered stress conditions or in case of injury which can lead to heart failure and death. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are noncoding RNAs that play a significant role in modulating gene expression. Here, we aimed to identify new miRNAs effective in an experimental CH model and to find an epigenetic biomarker that could demonstrate therapeutic targets responsible for the pathology of heart tissue and serum. In this study, Sprague-Dawley male rats were divided into the training group (TG, n =9) and the control group (CG, n =6). Systolic and diastolic dimensions of the left ventricle and myocardial wall thickness were measured by echocardiography to assess CH. After the exercise program of the rats, miRNA expression measurements and histological analyses were performed. The 25,000 genes in the rat genome were searched using microarray analysis. A total of 128 miRNAs were selected according to the fold change rates, and nine miRNAs were validated for expression analysis. The terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick (TUNEL) method was used to detect apoptotic cells. Cell proliferation was evaluated by the proliferative cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) method. Necrosis, bleeding, and intercellular edema were detected in TG. The mean histopathological score was higher in TG (p=0.03). There were rarely positive cells for apoptosis of both groups in cardiomyocytes. In the receiver characteristic curve analysis (ROC), the heart tissue rno-miR-290 had an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.920 with 100% sensitivity and 89.90% specificity (p=0.045), rno-miR-194-5p had AUC of 0.940 with 83.33% sensitivity and 100% specificity (p=0.003), and the serum rno-miR-132-3p AUC was 0.880 with 66.67% sensitivity and 100% specificity ( p =0.004) in TG. miR-194-5p was used as a therapeutic target for remodeling the cardiac process. While miR-290 contributes to CH as a negative regulator, miR-132 in serum is effective in the pathological and physiological cardiac remodeling process and is a candidate biomarker.

Background: Epileptogenesis is a process that results in neurons firing abnormally, causing seizures. Increasing evidence has shown that miRNAs expressed in the epileptic hippocampus are involved in epileptogenesis. We demonstrated the expression changes of miRNAs that may be effective in epileptogenesis in silico analysis in the kindling model created with Pentylenetetrazole (PTZ). Thus, we aimed to identify the target genes responsible for epileptogenesis., Methods and Results: Fifteen male Wistar-albino rats (200-230 g) were randomly divided into two groups control (n = 6) and PTZ (n = 9). The control group received 0.5 ml saline, and the PTZ group (35 mg/kg i.p.) intraperitoneally (i.p.) (11 times, every other day) to induce tonic-clonic seizures. Seizures were observed and scored 30 min after PTZ injection. After the last dose of PTZ (75 mg/kg) administration, the hippocampus tissues of the rats were removed by anesthesia. Analysis of miRNAs was performed with the Affymetrix gene chip miRNA sequence (728 miRNA) and confirmed by the Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (Real-Time PCR) method (29 miRNAs). We evaluated the expression change of the target gene of miRNA, whose expression change was detected using in silico analysis, by q-RT PCR. Eight miRNAs with changes in expression were detected. Of these miRNAs, miR-342-p was downregulated in the PTZ group and was statistically significant (p < 0.005). Ultimately, we determined that the target gene of miR-342-p is a metabotropic glutamate receptor 2 (GRM2) and that GRM2 expression is upregulated., Conclusions: Downregulation of miR-342-3p in the PTZ kindling model may result in the upregulation of GRM2., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)

Objectives: Epilepsy is a neurological disease that pathologically affects brain functions. The epileptic hippocampus has modified microRNA(miRNA) levels. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the neuroprotective effect of thymoquinone (TQ) in PTZ-induced epilepsy and to demonstrate the overlap between miRNA and mRNA expression profiles., Methods: Male adult Wistar albino rats (200-230 g, n = 20) were divided into three groups as control (n = 6), PTZ (n = 7), and TQ + PTZ (n = 7). The PTZ kindling model was created by injecting PTZ in sub convulsive doses to rats on days 1, 3, 5, 8, 10, 12, 15, 17, 19, 22, and 24 of the study into animals. Clonic and tonic seizures were induced by injecting a convulsive dose of PTZ on day 26 of the study. Rats in the TQ+PTZ group were treated by oral gavage with a 20 mg/kg TQ 2 h before each PTZ injection. The rats in the control group were treated with 0.5 ml saline. Seizure severity was evaluated with the Racine scale. The genes and signaling pathways targeted by miRNAs were determined by bioinformatics analysis., Results: In the rat hippocampus, mature 728 miRNAs were analyzed by microarray and the nine miRNA were verified by quantitative Real-Time PCR. rno-miR-182 and rno-miR-27b-3p were up-regulated in the PTZ group and down-regulated in the TQ + PTZ group., Discussion: In the PTZ kindling epilepsy model, the expression of these two miRNAs was regulated by TQ and exerted a neuroprotective effect by controlling the activities of target genes.

Objective: The Modified Ashworth Scale, the Modified Tardieu Scale, and measuring the passive range of motion is commonly preferred examination tools for spasticity in cerebral palsy (CP). Ultrasonography has become increasingly used to provide relevant insight into spastic muscle morphology and structure recently. It was aimed to reveal associations between the clinical and ultrasonographic parameters of gastrocnemius medialis (GM) and lateralis muscles in this population., Methods: Thirty-four children with spastic CP aged between 4 and 12 years who did not have botulinum neurotoxin A intervention within 6 months or had no previous history of any orthopedic or neurological surgery were included. The spasticity of GM and lateralis was evaluated firstly by the Modified Ashworth Scale, Modified Tardieu Scale, and ankle passive range of motion. Then, the cross-sectional area (CSA), muscle thickness (MT), qualitative and quantitative echo intensity (EI) values of both muscles were measured from their ultrasonographic images., Results: The CSA of GM, and qualitative EI of both muscles were found to be mild-to-moderately correlated to all clinical examination tools (p<0.01), whereas the CSA of gastrocnemius lateralis was mildly related to Modified Ashworth Scale (p=0.009). The MT and quantitative EI of both muscles were not associated with any of the clinical tools (p>0.05)., Conclusion: Ultrasonographic measurements of GM and lateralis partially reflect ankle spasticity in children with CP. Ultrasonography can be used as an alternative tool in this patient population where the clinical evaluation can not perform ideally., Competing Interests: Conflict of Interest: No conflict of interest was declared by the authors., (Copyright © 2022 by Istanbul Provincial Directorate of Health - Available online at www.northclinist.com.)

Introduction: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic led to a lockdown period. Confinement periods have been related to unhealthy lifestyle behaviors. Our study aimed to determine weight change, changes in eating and exercise habits, the presence of depression and anxiety, and diabetes mellitus (DM) status in a cohort of patients with obesity., Methods: The study was undertaken in nine centers of Collaborative Obesity Management (COM) of the European Association for the Study of Obesity (EASO) in Turkey. An e-survey about weight change, eating habits, physical activity status, DM status, depression, and anxiety was completed by patients. The International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) score was used to determine physical activity in terms of metabolic equivalents (METs). A healthy nutrition coefficient was calculated from the different categories of food consumption. The Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) and General Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7) Questionnaire  were used for determining depression and anxiety, respectively., Results: Four hundred twenty-two patients (age 45 ± 12.7 years, W/M = 350/72) were included. The healthy nutrition coefficient before the pandemic was 38.9 ± 6.2 and decreased to 38.1 ± 6.4 during the pandemic (p < 0.001). Two hundred twenty-nine (54.8%) patients gained weight, 54 (12.9%) were weight neutral, and 135 (32.3%) lost weight. Patients in the weight loss group had higher MET scores and higher healthy nutrition coefficients compared with the weight gain and weight-neutral groups (p < 0.001). The PHQ and GAD scores were not different between the groups. Percent weight loss was related to healthy nutrition coefficient (CI: 0.884 [0.821-0.951], p = 0.001) and MET categories (CI: 0.408 [0.222-0.748], p = 0.004). One hundred seventy patients had DM. Considering glycemic control, only 12 (8.4%) had fasting blood glucose <100 mg/dL and 36 (25.2%) had postprandial BG <160 mg/dL. When patients with and without DM were compared in terms of dietary compliance, MET category, weight loss status, PHQ-9 scores, and GAD-7 scores, only MET categories were different; 29 (11.7%) of patients in the nondiabetic group were in the highly active group compared with 5 (2.9%) in the diabetic group., Conclusion: The COVID-19 lockdown resulted in weight gain in about half of our patients, which was related to changes in physical activity and eating habits. Patients with DM who had moderate glycemic control were similar to the general population in terms of weight loss but were less active., (© 2022 The Author(s). Published by S. Karger AG, Basel.)

Aim: Anticancer drugs (chemotherapeutics) used in cancer treatment (chemotherapy) lead to drug resistance. This study was conducted to investigate the possible effect of iron on calcium homeostasis in epithelial ovarian cancer cells (MDAH-2774) and cisplatin-resistant cells of the same cell line (MDAH-2774/DDP)., Methods: To develop MDAH-2774/DDP cells, MDAH-2774 (MDAH) cells were treated with cisplatin in dose increases of 5 μM between 0 μM and 70 μM. The effect of iron on the viability of MDAH and MDAH/DDP cells was determined by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide test at the end of 24 h incubation., Results: At increasing iron concentrations in MDAH and MDAH/DDP cells, the mRNA gene of fifteen genes [inositol 1,4,5-triphosphate receptor (IP 3 R)1/2/3 , ryanodine receptor (RYR)1/2 , sarco/endoplasmic reticulum Ca 2+ ATPase (SERCA)1/2/3 , Na + /Ca 2+ exchange (NCX)1/2/3 , and plasma membrane Ca 2+ ATPase (PMCA)1/2/3/4 ] associated with Ca 2+ differences in expression were determined by quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Changes in IP 3 R2, RYR1, SERCA2, NCX3, PMCA1, and PMCA3 gene expressions were observed in iron treatment of MDAH/DDP cells, while changes were detected in iron treatment of MDAH cells in IP 3 R1/2/3, RYR1/2, SERCA1/2/3, NCX2/3, and PMCA1 expressions., Conclusions: This changes in the expression of calcium channels, pumps, and exchange proteins in the epithelial ovarian cancer cell line and in cisplatin-resistant epithelial ovarian cancer cells suggest that iron may have an important role in regulating calcium homeostasis. Due to differences in the expression of genes that play of an important role in the regulation of calcium homeostasis in the effect of iron, drug resistance can be prevented by introducing a new perspective on the use of inhibitors and activators of these genes and thus cytostatic treatment strategies., Competing Interests: Regarding this study, the authors and/or family members have no scientific or medical committee membership or relationship with their members, counseling, expertise, employment status in any company, shareholding, and similar situations., (© The Author(s) 2021.)

The CagA protein one of the key virulence factors of Helicobacter pylori plays an important role in the pathogenesis of peptic ulcer diseases. Unfortunately the cagA gene status can only be determined by PCR while serology is an alternative approach to detect antigens or antibodies. Our aim is to detect the CagA antigen in sera of infected subjects by the development of an in-house capture ELISA test. Gastric antral biopsies and serum samples were collected from 63 patients. PCR was used to determine the cagA status. Our previously developed recombinant CagA protein and monoclonal antibody were used for setting up the capture ELISA test. H. pylori positive [(38 gastritis, 14 duodenal ulcers (DU), 11 gastric ulcer (GU)] patients were determined by PCR. The cagA gene was detected in 21 (55%) of gastritis, 11 (78%) of DU and 7 (60%) of GU patients. The reagents used in setting up the capture ELISA test following optimization displayed high performance. This study showed that our developed in-house capture ELISA has the potential to detect the CagA antigen at very low concentrations even though not detected in our H. pylori infected patients sera but we are also intended to use it in saliva and stool samples., (Copyright © 2020. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Although platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is the plasma fraction that contains higher levels of platelet-sequestered proteins such as growth factors and chemokines, it is also abundant in bioactive lipids whose role in wound healing has not been well characterized. This study provides a preliminary evaluation for the effect of the lipid component of PRP on selected genes related to wound healing. Sprague-Dawley rats were classified into four groups after induction of full thickness excisional wounds: the lipid fraction (LF) (lipid extract from PRP) group, PRP group, dimethyl sulfoxide group, and sham group. Subsequently, relevant groups were topically treated with test preparations. Healing wounds were collected on 3rd, 7th and 14th days, and expression levels of 12 genes were determined using qPCR. LF treatment-induced gene expression signature distinct from that induced by PRP treatment, although there are some overlaps in LF- and PRP-responsive genes. Differentially expressed all eight genes ( Cxcl5, Cxc11, Egfr, Tgfb1, IL10, Tgfa, Mmp1, and Mmp7 ) to LF response were significantly down-regulated at either 3rd, 7th, or 14th days. Also, the comparison between LF- and PRP-treatment groups showed that the LF significantly decreased expression of Cxcl11, Mmp7, and Tgfa mRNA on day 7 of healing. This study revealed that PRP and its LF induced different and similar gene expression responses of the skin during the repair of full thickness excisional wounds. Identifying mRNA response to LF treatment at whole transcriptome level can be beneficial for comprehensive understanding of the role of platelet-derived lipid factors in wound healing processes.