Evaluation of Fatty Acid Contents and Biological Activities of Jurinea turcica.

The fatty acid profile, antioxidant/antibacterial, and cytotoxic effects of the extracts obtained from Jurinea turcica B.Dogan& A.Duran have been evaluated for the first time in the current study. The fatty acid profile of ethanolic extracts was determined using the Soxhlet extractor by a gas chromatography-mass spectrometer. The antioxidant and antibacterial activities were measured by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging and ferrous reduction tests and the disc diffusion technique. Additionally, the cytotoxicity and wound healing assays were performed on A549 cells. The highest amount of component in the leaf extract was docosanoic acid methyl ester, whereas abundant arachidonic acid methyl ester was mainly found in the flower extract. The IC50 values, the 50 % scavenging value for the DPPH radical, were 179.13 and 124.67 µg/mL for the leaf and flower extracts, respectively. IC50 values (the half-maximal inhibitory concentration) were 10.4 and 24.7 µg/mL for the flower and leaf extracts, respectively. The leaf extract showed more potent antibacterial activity on Enterococcus faecalis (17 mm) and Staphylococcus aureus (16 mm) bacteria than the flower extract. In conclusion, the extracts of J. turcica have anti-cancerogenic and antibacterial effects. Leaf extracts have antibacterial and anti-metastatic effects, while flower extracts show antioxidant, cytotoxic, and apoptotic properties in A549 cells.

Morphology of pollen in Ferula genus (Apiaceae).

In this study, the pollen morphology of all Ferula species distributed throughout the country of Turkey was studied with light and scanning electron microscopy for the first time. The aim is to identify the pollen morphological characteristics of 23 Ferula species. The pollen is radially symmetrical, isopolar and tricolporate in all examined species. Pollen grains are prolate and perprolate with the polar axis ranging from 22.28 to 40.47 µm and the equatorial axis from 13.70 to 18.73 µm. Their polar shapes are triangular, triangular to subtriangular and circular to subcircular. Several types of exine ornamentations have been observed on pollen through the use of scanning electron microscopy. The dendrogram constructed by using Average Linkage of the examined data revealed two main groups. It was determined that some pollen characteristics are more useful for classification than others. In particular, P, E, the ratio of P/E (pollen shape) and ornamentation in the polar and equatorial views are the most valuable variables for discrimination the Ferula species.

Knowledge and Attitudes of Medical and Non-Medical Turkish University Students about Cervical Cancer and HPV Vaccination.

BACKGROUND: This study was conducted to determine knowledge, attitudes and practices about cervical cancer and HPV vaccination of students studying in various faculties of Erciyes University. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study was performed among the first and fourth grade students of Medicine, Theology, Education and Economics and Administrative Sciences (FEAS) faculties of Erciyes University. It was aimed to reach 1,073 students and 718 were evaluated. A questionnaire consisting of 48 questions related to the socio-demographic characteristics, knowledge, attitude and practices about cervical cancer and HPV vaccination was administered to the students. The chi-square test and logistic regression were used for the statistical analyses. RESULTS: Of the students, 78.3% were aware of cervical cancer, while 36.1% of them were aware of the HPV vaccine. The percentage hearing about cervical cancer and HPV vaccination was significantly higher among the students of the medical faculty than the others and among fourth grade students comparing with the first grade. The marital status and the presence of a health worker in the family had no significant impact on the knowledge level of the students. The acceptability of the HPV vaccination was low among all students. CONCLUSIONS: The knowledge levels of the university students about cervical cancer and HPV vaccination are inadequate. This deficiency is more pronounced among the non-medical students and there is no significant increase during the faculty years. Non-medical students must be provided with information about important public health issues by elective courses. HPV vaccination could provide many benefits for men and women by decreasing the morbidity and mortality of cervical, anal, and penile cancers.

Evaluation of Lapatinib and Trastuzumab for Ototoxic Effects.

OBJECTIVE: Trastuzumab and lapatinib are widely used chemotherapeutic agents. Our aim in this study was to assess the possible ototoxicity of these chemotherapeutic agents. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty-eight rats were divided into six groups: Group 1 (control, n=8) received intraperitoneal saline for 7 days. Group 2 (n=8) and Group 3 (n=8) received 10 mg/kg and 30 mg/kg single doses of intraperitoneal trastuzumab, respectively. Lapatinib was administered by oral gavage to Group 4 (n=8) at 100 mg/kg/day and to group 5 (n=8) at 300 mg/kg/day for 7 days. Group 6 (n=8) received only one dose of 10 mg/kg intraperitoneal trastuzumab; subsequently, Group 6 received one dose of lapatinib at 100 mg/kg/day by oral gavage for 7 days. Before any medication was administered, distortion product emissions (DPOAE) were obtained. DPOAE tests were performed again on the rats on day 7, after which the mastoid bullas were harvested. The apoptosis degree was evaluated by the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labeling (TUNEL) procedure. RESULTS: The lapatinib 300 and lapatinib+trastuzumab groups (p=0.008 and p=0.001, respectively) were significantly different from the control group according to the spiral ganglion TUNEL. Apoptosis in the organ of corti was statistically different compared with the control group in the lapatinib 100, lapatinib 300, and lapatinib+trastuzumab groups (p=0.035, p=0.001, and p<0.001, respectively). Trastuzumab induced damage in only the organ of corti; however, lapatinib induced damage in both the organ of corti and spiral ganglion. The degree of the damage in the organ of corti was high when trastuzumab and lapatinib were concomitantly used. Supporting this data, a reduction in DPOAE amplitudes was observed during the combined usage of the drugs. CONCLUSION: Administering trastuzumab and lapatinib causes ototoxic effects.

Nearly Complete Response of Brain Metastases from HER2 Overexpressing Breast Cancer with Lapatinib and Capecitabine after Whole Brain Irradiation.

Trastuzumab treatment does not prevent intracranial seeding and is largely ineffective for established central nervous system metastasis in HER2 overexpressing breast cancer patients. Combination therapy of lapatinib and capecitabine may be an effective treatment option for brain metastasis of HER2-positive breast cancer. We report a patient with breast cancer overexpressing HER-2 where brain metastases were successfully treated with radiation and a combination of lapatinib and capecitabine.