Peptide derived from plant defensins: A promising 68Ga radiolabelled agent for diagnostic of infection foci in PET.

The development of new radiopharmaceuticals for the detection of hidden infection foci has great relevance for early detection and the selection of the correct treatment, particularly in immunosuppressed patients. In that sense, the labelling of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) that are capable of binding specifically to the pathogenic microorganism which causes the infection, should provide a sufficiently specific agent, able to distinguish an infection from a sterile inflammation. Defensins are particularly interesting molecules with antimicrobial activity, the EcgDf1 defensin was identified from the genome of a Uruguayan native plant, Erythrina crista-galli, the 'Ceibo' tree. Our group has previously reported a synthetic biologically active short analogue EcgDf21 (ERFTGGHCRGFRRRCFCTKHC) successfully labelled with 99mTc. Herein we present a shorter analogue which also preserves the γ-core domain, as a pharmacophore for a potential infection detection agent. This peptide was derivatized with the bifunctional chelating agent 1,4,7-triazacyclononane-1,4,7-triacetic acid (NOTA) through a lysine linker in the amino-terminal group (NOTA-KGHCRGFRRRC) and radiolabelled with 68Ga ([68Ga]Ga-NOTA-K-EcgDf1(10)). The [68Ga]Ga-NOTA-K-EcgDf1(10) labelling procedure rendered a product with high radiochemical purity and stability in the labelling milieu. The Log P value indicated that the complex has a hydrophilic behaviour, confirmed by the biodistribution profile. The [68Ga]Ga-NOTA-K-EcgDf1(10) complex demonstrated specific binding to cultures of Candida albicans and Aspergillus niger. Its biodistribution showed renal elimination and low accumulation in the rest of the body. It was possible to successfully differentiate sterile inflammation from infection by PET images in nude mice with a target/non-target ratio of 3.3 for C. albicans and 3.7 for A. niger, respectively.

A Systematic Literature Study of the Sinus Septi Nasi, Crista Galli and Other Minor Pneumatizations / Estudio Bibliográfico Sistemático del Seno Septi Nasi, Crista Galli y Otras Neumatizaciones Menores

SUMMARY: Variations in the paranasal sinuses and pneumatizations originating from these structures are clinically important for surgical procedures to be performed in the nose and nasal cavity regions. No systematic review examining the sinus septi nasi, crista galli and other minor pneumatizations was found in the literature review. This study aimed to review the papers in the literature including the sinus septi nasi, crista galli and other minor pneumatizations and standardize the mean incidence, distribution by sex, age and origin of these structures. Furthermore, it was aimed to examine the height, length, and width values of sinus septi nasi and crista galli pneumatizations, determine the measurement intervals and measurement values, and standardize them. The studies involving these pneumatizations were reviewed from various databases. After being evaluated according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 35 articles between the years 1991-2021 were reviewed. Based on the data obtained from these articles, we examined the incidence of sinus septi nasi, crista galli, and other minor pneumatizations. Middle nasal turbinate pneumatization had the highest incidence among all these pneumatizations. Uncinate process pneumatization had the lowest incidence. Considering the distribution by sex, no difference was found. Upon examining the age range, there were people aged between 1-95 years, and the mean age range was 33.05-41.48. The length, width and height values of crista galli and sinus septi nasi could not be standardized due to the insufficient number of studies and variable data in the literature. We believe that our study will contribute to similar future studies in larger populations with the clinical procedures to be performed in and around the nasal cavity.

Las variaciones en los senos paranasales y las neumatizaciones que se originan en estas estructuras son clínicamente importantes para los procedimientos quirúrgicos que se realizan en las regiones de la nariz y la cavidad nasal. En la revisión de la literatura no se encontró ninguna revisión sistemática que examinara el seno septi nasi, la crista galli y otras neumatizaciones menores. Este estudio tuvo como objetivo revisar los trabajos en la literatura que incluyen el seno septi nasi, la crista galli y otras neumatizaciones menores y estandarizar la incidencia media, la distribución por sexo, edad y origen de estas estructuras. Además, tuvo como objetivo examinar los valores de altura, longitud y ancho de las neumatizaciones del seno septi nasi y crista galli, determinar los intervalos de medición y los valores de medición, y estandarizarlos. Los estudios relacionados con estas neumatizaciones se revisaron a partir de varias bases de datos. Luego de ser evaluados según los criterios de inclusión y exclusión, se revisaron 35 artículos entre los años 1991-2021. Sobre la base de los datos obtenidos de estos artículos, examinamos la incidencia de septi nasi nasi, crista galli y otras neumatizaciones menores. La neumatización de la concha nasal media tuvo la mayor incidencia entre todas estas neumatizaciones. La neumatización del proceso uncinado tuvo la menor incidencia. Considerando la distribución por sexo, no se encontró diferencia. Al examinar el rango de edad, había personas con edades entre 1 y 95 años, y el rango de edad promedio fue de 33,05 a 41,48. Los valores de longitud, ancho y altura de crista galli y seno septi nasi no pudieron estandarizarse debido a la cantidad insuficiente de estudios y datos variables en la literatura. Creemos que nuestro estudio contribuirá a futuras investigaciones similares en poblaciones más grandes con los procedimientos clínicos que se realizarán en y alrededor de la cavidad nasal.

Crista Galli Morphometry and Morphology: An Anatomical, Radiological, and Machine Learning Application Study / Crista Galli Morfometría y Morfología: Un Estudio de Aplicación Anatómica, Radiológica y de Aprendizaje Automático

SUMMARY: The study purposed to examine the morphometry and morphology of crista galli in cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) and apply a new analysis, supervised Machine Learning techniques to find the answers to research questions "Can sex be determined with crista galli morphometric measurements?" or "How effective are the crista galli morphometric measurements in determining sex?". Crista galli dimensions including anteroposterior, superoinferior, and laterolateral were measured and carried out on 200 healthy adult subjects (98 females; 102 males) aged between 18-79 years. Also, crista galli was classified with two methods called morphological types and Keros classification. In this study, the Chi-square test, Student's t-test, and Oneway ANOVA were performed. Additionally, Machine Learning techniques were applied. The means of the CGH, CGW, and CGL were found as 14.96 mm; 3.96 mm, and 12.76 mm in males, respectively. The same values were as 13.54 mm; 3.51 mm and 11.59±1.61 mm in females, respectively. The CG morphometric measurements of males were higher than those of females. There was a significant difference between sexes in terms of morphological classification type. Also, when the sex assignment of JRip was analyzed, out of 102 male instances 62 of them were correctly predicted, and for 98 female instances, 70 of them were correctly predicted according to their CG measurements. The JRip found the following classification rule for the given dataset: "if CGH<=14.4 then sex is female, otherwise sex is male". The accuracy of this rule is not high, but it gives an idea about the relationship between CG measurements and sex. Although the issue that CG morphometric measurements can be used in sex determination is still controversial, it was concluded in the analysis that CG morphometric measurements can be used in sex determination. Also, Machine Learning Techniques give an idea about the relationship between CG measurements and sex.

En el estudio se propuso examinar la morfometría y la morfología de la crista galli del hueso etmoides usando tomografía computarizada de haz cónico (CBCT) y aplicar un nuevo análisis, técnicas de aprendizaje automático supervisado para encontrar las respuestas a las preguntas de investigación "¿Se puede determinar el sexo con mediciones morfométricas de la crista galli?" o "¿Qué tan efectivas son las medidas morfométricas de la crista galli para determinar el sexo?". Las dimensiones de la crista galli, incluidas los diámetros anteroposterior, superoinferior y laterolateral, se midieron y realizaron en 200 sujetos adultos sanos (98 mujeres; 102 hombres) con edades comprendidas entre los 18 y los 79 años. La crista galli se clasificó con dos métodos llamados tipos morfológicos y clasificación de Keros. En este estudio, se realizaron la prueba de Chicuadrado, la prueba t de Student y ANOVA de una vía. Adicionalmente, se aplicaron técnicas de Machine Learning. Las medias de CGH, CGW y CGL se encontraron en 14,96 mm; 3,96 mm y 12,76 mm en hombres, respectivamente. Los mismos valores fueron 13,54 mm; 3,51 mm y 11,59 ± 1,61 mm en mujeres, respectivamente. Las medidas morfométricas del CG de los hombress fueron más altas que las de las mujeres. Hubo una diferencia significativa entre sexos en cuanto al tipo de clasificación morfológica. Además, cuando se analizó la asignación de sexo de JRip, de 102 instancias masculinas, 62 de ellas se predijeron correctamente, y de 98 instancias femeninas, 70 de ellas se predijeron correctamente de acuerdo con las mediciones de CG. El JRip encontró la siguiente regla de clasificación para el conjunto de datos dado: "si CGH<=14.4, por tanto el sexo es femenino, de lo contrario, el sexo es masculino". La precisión de esta regla no es alta, pero da una idea de la relación entre las medidas del CG y el sexo. Aunque la pregunta si las medidas morfométricas CG se pueden usar en la determinación del sexo sigue aún siendo controvertida. Se concluyó en el análisis que las medidas morfométricas CG se pueden usar en la determinación del sexo. Además, las técnicas de aprendizaje automático dan una idea de la relación entre las medidas de CG y el sexo.

A comparative analysis of the CP and CG using 2D and 3D visualisation approaches.

Investigations on the structural variations in the cribriform plate (CP), olfactory foramina and the Crista Galli showcase the benefits of using 3D imaging on smaller structures. These techniques reveal accurate details about bone morphology and density. Comparing different techniques, this project aims to examine the correlation between the CP, olfactory foramina, and Crista Galli. Computed tomography was used to translate and apply the findings acquired from the samples in radiographic studies on CPs for potential clinical significance. The findings show that the surface area measurements were significantly larger when using 3D imaging techniques in comparison with the 2D counterpart. Using 2D imaging, the maximum surface area of the CPs was 239.54 mm2, however, paired 3D samples showed the maximum surface area was 355.51 mm2. The findings show that Crista Galli's dimensions varied greatly, with length ranging from 15 to 26 mm, height ranging from 5 to 18 mm, and width ranging from 2 to 7 mm. The 3D imaging allowed for surface area measurements on the Crista Galli, and the surface area ranged from 130 to 390 mm2. When 3D imaging was used, significant correlations were found between the surface area of the CP and the length of the Crista Galli (p = 0.001). The findings show that measurements on the Crista Galli using 2D and 3D reconstructed radiographic imaging reflect similar ranges of dimensions to 3D imaging measurements. The findings also suggest that the Crista Galli may increase in length with the CP to support the latter and olfactory bulb during trauma which may be used by clinicians alongside 2D CT scans for optimal diagnosis.

[99m Tc]Tc-HYNIC-EcgDf21: A defensin short analogue with potential application in infection foci imaging.

Opportunistic infections are a problem of great relevance in public health and the precise detection and localization of infection in the early stages of the disease is of great importance for patient management as well as cost containment. Our proposal seeks to contribute to developing a new agent that meets the needs of diagnosis and follow-up of fungal and bacterial infections, focused on the design of a radiotracer with the potential for recognition of hidden infection foci. Defensins are plant antimicrobial peptides that not only show activity against plant pathogens but also against human ones. A short analogue of EcgDf1 defensin, EcgDf21d (NH2 -ERFTGGHCRGFRRRCFCTKHC-COOH), was labelled through the formation of a 99m Tc-HYNIC complex which was assessed for physicochemical and biological behaviour both in vitro and in vivo. The [99m Tc]Tc-HYNIC-EcgDf21 labelling procedure rendered a single product with remarkably high RCP and stability in the labelling milieu. The Log p value indicated that [99m Tc]Tc-HYNIC-EcgDf21 has a hydrophilic behaviour, confirmed by the biodistribution profiles. The optimal uptake value was obtained for Candida albicans infection model reaching a lesion/muscle ratio of 3, this correlates with in vitro binding studies, and the lesion can be definitely observed in the scintigraphic images.

[Crista galli pnevmatization: prevalence and clinical significance]. / Pnevmatizatsiya crista galli: rasprostranennost' i klinicheskoe znachenie.

OBJECTIVE: Determine the frequency of crista galli (crest of the rooster) pneumatization and the presence of communication of the pneumatized crista galli with the paranasal sinuses. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Computed tomography data of the paranasal sinuses of 251 patients. The patients' age ranged from 23 to 70 years. Variations in crista galli were classified according to the degree of pneumatization. RESULTS: The pneumatic type of crista galli structure was observed in 14.7% of cases. The most commonly crista galli pneumatized had a connection with the frontal sinus. In some cases, in the presence of sinusitis, the crista galli cavity was involved in the inflammatory process. The article presents a case of inflammation of pneumatized crista galli, in which a patient complained of a stubborn headache in the frontal sinus. Attention is drawn to the importance of diagnosing this pathology using objective imaging methods. Videoendoscopy and computed tomography revealed crista galli pneumatization with thickening of the mucous membrane and the presence of fluid. As a result, the optimal surgical approach was chosen - transseptal dissection with removal of one of the walls of pneumatized crista galli.

Flavanones from Erythrina crista-galli Twigs and Their Antioxidant Properties Determined through In Silico and In Vitro Studies.

Flavonoids are a secondary metabolite group with various bioactivities, such as antioxidants. They are rich in the genus Erythrina, such as Erythrina crista-galli. This research aims to isolate and characterize flavonoids from the twigs of E. crista-galli and determine their antioxidant properties through in silico and in vitro assays. The ethyl acetate extract of E. crista-galli twigs were separated by column chromatography and characterized using spectroscopic methods. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations were performed on the isolated flavonoids and the reference compounds (ascorbic acid and quercetin) to obtain global descriptive parameters and a donor-acceptor map (DAM). We successfully isolated lupinifolin (1) and citflavanone (2) for the first time from E. crista-galli, along with lonchocarpol A (3), which has been discovered previously. The DAM suggests that these flavanones are good antiradicals with effective electron donors. However, they tend to be electron acceptors in methanol. The frontier molecular orbital analysis implies that lupinifolin (1) is a better antiradical than the other flavanones. The DPPH assays show that lupinifolin (1) has the highest antioxidant (antiradical) activity, with an IC50 value of 128.64 ppm. The in silico studies showed similar trends to the in vitro assays using the DPPH method.

The use of crista galli morphology and morphometry in sex determination: a cone-beam computed tomography study.

BACKGROUND: The morphology of crista galli (CG) varies from one individual to another and its structure may be pneumatized or compact bone. This study purposed to investigate the morphometry of the CG on cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) scans, to apply morphological classification based on the characteristics of the CG morphometry and to analyse the association of morphological and morphometric features with sex. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The width, length, and height of the CG were calculated on the CBCT scans of 400 patients (233 females, 167 males). The CG was categorised into three morphological types and the presence of the CG pneumatization and the Keros classification were examined. RESULTS: The average length of the CG was 12.93 ± 2.12 mm, the average width of CG was 4.79 ± 1.54 mm, and the average height of CG was 16.21 ± 2.73. There was no statistical difference between sexes in both height and length values. The mean CG width of female patients was found to be statistically significantly higher than that of male patients. No statistically significant difference was determined between the morphological types of CG and sex. For width only, the area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve was found to be significantly higher than 0.5 and the cutoff value for the width parameter was determined as 4 mm. CONCLUSIONS: The morphologic and morphometric features of CG, presence of pneumatization and relation of the anatomy of olfactory region to CG can be analysed in detail using CBCT. The mean CG width of female patients was found significantly higher than that of male patients. However, further studies with different populations and modalities are needed to evaluate the relationship between morphologic and morphometric features of CG and sex.

Sex estimation with morphometric and morphological characteristics of the crista galli.

PURPOSE: The purpose of the present study was to analyze the dimensions of the crista galli (CG) in preserved skulls, and to examine the role of the morphometry and morphology of the CG on the sex estimation. METHODS: Anteroposterior, superoinferior, and laterolateral diameters of the CG were measured of 207 preserved adult skulls of Anatolia origin with known sex (108 males, 99 females) in the Anatolian population. CG were morphologically classified into three types according to the dimensions. The success of CG dimensions in sex determination was evaluated with ROC analysis, and univariate and multivariate binary logistic regression analysis. The relationship between morphological types of the CG and sex was analyzed with the Chi-square test. RESULTS: The anteroposterior and superoinferior diameters of the CG significantly were longer in males than females while the laterolateral diameter of the CG was wider in females (p < 0.001). Superoposterior diameter (88.4%) of the CG showed higher sex classification accuracy for sex estimation compared to the laterolateral (82.6%) and anteroposterior diameters (80.6%). When all three parameters were used together, the sex classification accuracy rate was 94.2%. The presence of ossified and tubular types of CG identified the male sex with 85% and 74.6% accuracy rates, respectively while teardrop type CG identified female sex with a 72.2% accuracy rate. CONCLUSION: CG exhibits sexual dimorphism both morphometrically and morphologically. The height, length, and width measurements and the morphological types of CG can be used in sex determination directly from the skull with high accuracy rates.

Dural arteriovenous fistula with crista galli erosion in a patient with suspected sinusitis.

Dural arteriovenous fistula (dAVF) of the anterior cranial fossa is an aggressive entity with a high risk of intracranial hemorrhage. A 38-year-old woman presented to our institution with nasal obstruction and discharge. Computed tomography (CT) scans performed for suspected sinusitis revealed erosion of the crista galli predominantly on the left side. The frontal and ethmoidal sinuses adjacent to the crista galli were clear and did not communicate with the crista galli. Contrast computed tomography scans revealed ectatic vessels adjacent to the crista galli, coursing on the cortical surface. Cerebral angiography identified an anterior fossa dAVF supplied by the bilateral anterior and posterior ethmoidal arteries and drained by the dilated cortical veins. Based on these findings, we assumed that long-term compression by the pulsatile draining veins caused the erosion. The patient underwent successful microsurgical disconnection procedure of the dAVF with an uneventful postoperative course. We concluded that external erosion of the crista galli could be a sign of aggressive dAVF and requires careful examination.

Classification of crista galli pneumatization and clinical considerations for anterior skull base surgery.

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leakage caused by frontal sinus exposure is a serious complication in the basal interhemispheric approach (BIHA). Crista galli pneumatization (CGP) is often observed on preoperative computed tomography (CT) scan. The aim of this study was to classify and describe variations in anatomical measurements of CGP. We examined CT images of 300 patients with brain tumors to assess the morphology and incidence of CGP. Crista galli were classified according to their location relative to the cribriform plate and the presence of pneumatization. The paranasal sinuses were investigated as the origin of CGP. We assessed 24 patients using the BIHA for skull base tumors; these patients were included as clinical cases to assess the range of skeletonization of the crista galli and determine the route of CSF leakage in the other 276 patients. CGP was found in 28/300 CT scans, including upper, middle, and lower type CGPs. The origin of CGPs was the frontal sinus or ethmoid sinus. All CGPs were localized in the anterior half of the crista galli. In the 24 consecutive clinical cases, there were 13 tuberculum sellae meningiomas, 3 craniopharyngiomas, and 8 with other pathologies. The preoperative crista galli height was 12.3 mm and the distance from the top of the skeletonization to the cribriform plate was 5.2 mm. CGP originating from the paranasal sinuses can lead to CSF leakage. In cases where CGP originates from the ethmoid sinus, care should be taken to seal the exposed crista galli intradurally.

First report of Colletotrichum siamense causing anthracnose on Erythrina crista-galli in China.

Erythrina crista-galli L. (Fabaceae) is a popular ornamental plant in tropical and subtropical regions of South Asia. In October 2019, anthracnose-like lesions were observed on the leaves of E. crista-galli planted in Haikou, China. 5-30% of leaves were infected. At first, the circular spots of 1-2 mm in diameter were reddish-brown on the leaves, and then enlarged to circular, subcircular or irregular spots with reddish-brown center and surrounded by a diffuse yellow margin. Neighboring spots sometimes coalesced. Under continuously wet or humid conditions, the lesions expanded quickly, and became gray, subcircular or irregular spots covered by grayish-white mycelium and orange-pink conidial masses. Diseased leaves eventually fell off the trees. To identify the pathogen, diseased leaves were sampled from four gardens. Leaf tissues (5×5 mm) were cut from the margins of typical symptomatic lesions, surface-sterilized in 1% sodium hypochlorite for 1 min, plated on potato dextrose agar (PDA) medium, and incubated at 28.0±0.5℃ in the dark. Similar fungal colonies were obtained from all plated tissues after 3 days. The single-conidium colonies of all isolates were white to pale gray and cottony with visible orange conidial masses. Conidia were one-celled, aseptate, hyaline, straight, cylindrical to fusiform with obtuse ends, and ranged from 14.2-18.6 µm (16.4 µm)× 3.8-5.4 µm (4.7 µm) (n=100). After germination, conidia formed single, brown, oval or slightly irregular appressoria ranging from 8.0 to 11.8 µm (9.6 µm), and from 4.8 to 6.0 µm (5.4 µm). Sexual stage was absent. These characteristics of conidia and appressoria were matched with C. siamense belonging to the C. gloeosporioides complex (Prihastuti et al. 2009; Yang et al. 2009; Weir et al. 20012; Hu et al. 2015). To accurately identify the species, DNA was extracted from four purified isolates (JG-1, JG-3-1, SWS-1-3, SWS-2-1) （Fu et al. 2019）. The internal transcribed spacer of rDNA region (ITS), glyceraldehydes-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), calmodulin (CAL), actin (ACT) and chitin synthase (CHS) genes were amplified and sequenced. The nucleotide sequences were all deposited in GenBank (ITS: MT229427-MT229430, GAPDH: MT250821-MT250824, CAL: MT258893-MT258896, ACT: MT258897-MT258900 and CHS: MT258901-MT258904). Multi-locus phylogenetic analyses (ITS, GAPDH, CAL, ACT and CHS) (Weir et al. 2012) showed that the four isolates were clustered with C. siamense, which was in accordance with BLAST results. Pathogenicity tests of the four isolates were repeated three times on detached leaves (Ji et al. 2019). The conidial suspension (1×106 conidia/mL) was prepared using the conidia from 10-day-old cultures grown on PDA. Two 20-µL drops of conidial suspension were inoculated on non-wounded young healthy leaves, and each isolate was inoculated on 10 leaves. Two 20-µL drops of sterile water were inoculated on non-wounded young healthy leaves as control. The samples were maintained in containers at a relative humidity of 90± 5 per cent inside and 28℃ with a 12-h photoperiod. Gray, subcircular spots similar to the field disease symptoms were observed on the all inoculated leaves after 7 days, whereas no visible symptoms appeared on the non-inoculated leaves. The pathogen was re-isolated from inoculated leaves thus fulfilling Koch's postulates. C. gloeosporioides has been previously reported as a pathogen causing leaf spot on Erythrina (E. indica var. picta, E. variegata var. orientalis) in Guam in 1983 and Brazil in 2012. (Russo et al. 1983; Oliveira et al. 2012). To our knowledge, this is the first report of C. siamense causing leaf spot of E. crista-galli in China.

Pneumatized Crista Galli: A Histopathologic Study.

OBJECTIVE: This is the first histopathologic study that investigates the incidence of the pneumatized crista galli. STUDY DESIGN: A prospective histopathologic study. SETTING: Tertiary academic medical center. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A total of 109 specimens of crista galli were obtained postmortem during 2018 from randomly chosen patients who died at the University Hospital Centre Zagreb and had an autopsy at our Department of Pathology and Cytology. Specimens were surgically resected during the autopsy and then fixed, decalcinated, dehydrated, and embedded in paraffin. All slides were cut into 5-µm-thin sections and stained with a standard method (hematoxylin and eosin) for light microscope analysis. Specimens were histopathologically analyzed for the existence of pneumatization inside crista galli. The criterion to declare a specimen pneumatized was the presence of mucosa inside the cavity. RESULTS: Pneumatized crista galli was found in 5 of 109 specimens (4.59%). In 5 of 5 cases (100%) of pneumatized crista galli, there was evidence of chronic inflammation. CONCLUSION: We found that the incidence of pneumatized crista galli is significantly lower in our histopathologic study in comparison with the majority of previous radiologic studies. Our study also found that all 5 specimens with pneumatized crista galli had chronic inflammation in the mucosa, which is a considerably higher incidence than in the previous studies (7.7%-44%). Due to the emerging evidence of pneumatized crista galli being of clinical importance, we suggest that a larger study be conducted before the results are generalized to the general population.

Artificial Erythrina Alkaloids from Three Erythrina Plants, E. variegata, E. crista-galli and E. arborescens.

Fourteen unprecedented artificial Erythrina alkaloids were isolated from the Erythrina variegata, E. crista-galli and E. arborescens (Fabaceae). The structures of these alkaloids were determined by spectroscopic analyses. Their possible formations were proposed. All isolated compounds showed no cytotoxicity and hypoglycemic activity at cell screening bioassay.

Gene isolation and structural characterization of a legume tree defensin with a broad spectrum of antimicrobial activity.

MAIN CONCLUSION: The recombinant EcgDf1 defensin has an antimicrobial effect against both plant and human pathogens. In silico analyses predict that EcgDf1 is prone to form dimers capable of interacting with the membranes of microorganisms. Plant defensins comprise a large family of antimicrobial peptides (AMP) with a wide range of biological functions. They are cysteine-rich molecules, highly sequence diverse but with a conserved and stable structure. In this work, a defensin gene (EcgDf1) was isolated from Erythrina crista-galli, a legume tree native from South America. The predicted peptide presents eight cysteines, with a γ-core motif GXCX3-9C and six cysteines distributed like the typical defensin αß motif. The mature EcgDf1 coding sequence was heterologously expressed in Escherichia coli strains and purified by affinity chromatography. Possible dimer and oligomers of EcgDf1 were visible in SDS electrophoresis. Moreover, its 3D structure, determined by homology modeling, docking, and molecular dynamics simulations, was found to be compatible with the formation of homodimers between the ß3 and ß1-loop-α1, leaving the ß2-loop-ß3 free to interact with lipid membranes. The purified recombinant peptide inhibited the growth of several critical plant and human pathogens, like the opportunistic fungi Candida albicans and Aspergillus niger and the plant pathogens Clavibacter michiganensis ssp. michiganensis, Penicillium expansum, Botrytis cinerea, and Alternaria alternata. EcgDf1 is a promising candidate for the development of antimicrobial products for use in agriculture and medicine.

The incidence of sinus crista galli in children and adults: a computerized tomography study / La incidencia del sinus crista galli en niños y adultos: un estudio de tomografía computarizada

The pneumatization area in the crista galli region of the ethmoid bone can be called Sinus Crista Galli (SCG). The authors would like to recommend the terminology as sinus crista galli for pneumatized crista galli. Our aims in this study are to determine SCG on three dimensional Computerized Tomography (CT) images, to investigate its frequency, dimension and to emphasize their clinical significance in children and adults. A total of 360 adult images (160 female, 200 male) and 68(43 female, 25 male) pediatric images were examined. The presence SCG was recorded with axial and coronal paranasal sinus CT images. The height, width, anterposterior diameter of the sinus was measured. All the data we obtained from this study were analyzed using the SPSS 18.0 program. Descriptive statistics are shown as mean ± Sdt. Sinus crista galli was found in 17 examined images of the 360 (4.72 %) in adult group. Chronic pansinusitis was detected in 7 of 17 cases. Frontal sinusitis findings were detected in 7 cases. Sinusitis was not observed in 3 cases. The incidence of SCG was found in 4 pediatric images out of 68 (5.88 %). In 1 out of 4 cases, infection was detected in SCG. We did not observe SCG in the pediatric group with 0-7 years of age. Sinus crista galli was found at low rates in adult and pediatric age group. However; relationship was found between these variation and chronic rhinosinusitis. Additionally, detection of SCG in paranasal sinus CT can be provided better results and reduce complications in anterior cranial fossa surgery.

El área de neumatización en la crista galli del etmoides se puede denominar sinus crista galli (SCG). Los autores recomiendan incluir en la terminología anatómica el término sinus crista galli para la crista galli neumatizada. Los objetivos del estudio fueron determinar la SCG en imágenes tridimensionales de tomografía computarizada (TC), investigar su frecuencia, dimensión y enfatizar su importancia clínica en niños y adultos. Se examinaron un total de 360 imágenes de adultos (160 mujeres, 200 hombres) y 68 (43 mujeres, 25 hombres) en imágenes pediátricas. La presencia de SCG se registró con imágenes de tomografía axial y axial del seno paranasal. Se midió la altura, anchura y diámetro anteroposterior del seno del proceso crista galli. Todos los datos obtenidos se analizaron mediante el programa SPSS 18.0. Las estadísticas descriptivas se muestran como media ± DS. El seno crista galli se encontró en 17/360 (4,72 %) de las imágenes examinadas en el grupo de adultos. Se detectó pansinusitis crónica en 7 de 17 casos. Se detectaron hallazgos de sinusitis frontal en 7 casos. Sinusitis no se observó en 3 casos. La incidencia de SCG se encontró en 4 imágenes pediátricas de 68 (5,88 %). En 1 de cada 4 casos, se detectó infección en SCG. No observamos SCG en el grupo pediátrico con 0-7 años de edad. El seno crista galli se encontró en bajas tasas en adultos y en niños. Sin embargo, se encontró relación entre estas variaciones y la rinosinusitis crónica. Además, la detección de SCG en la tomografía computarizada del seno paranasal puede proporcionar mejores resultados y reducir las complicaciones en la cirugía de la fosa craneal anterior.

Cribriform Plate, Crista Galli, Olfactory Fossa and Septal Deviation.

OBJECTIVES: In the present study, we investigated the relationship between olfactory fossa, cribriform plate, crista galli and nasal Septal Deviation (SD). Keros classification of olfactory fossa was also performed. METHODS: This study was performed retrospectively. Computerized Tomography (CT) images of 200 adult subjects were observed. Unilateral nasal Septal Deviation (SD) cases were included into the study. On coronal CT scans, SD side and location, SD angle, cribriform plate width, olfactory fossa depth (Keros classification) and width, area of the olfactory fossa, crista galli length, width and pneumatization were evaluated. RESULTS: Anterior and anteroposterior deviations were detected mainly. In females, 64.0% and in males, 45.3% of the SDs were located anteriorly. In males, anteroposterior SDs (40.0%) were detected more than females. In anteroposterior SDs, SD angle was higher than anterior SDs. With higher SD angle, crista galli width and height decreased. Cribriform plate width, olfactory fossa height, width and area values of contralateral side were significantly higher than those of the ipsilateral side. For Keros classification, in male group, type 1 (53.3%) and in females, type 2 (57.6%) was detected at ipsilateral side. For contralateral side, type 2 Keros was detected in both genders. Complete crista galli pneumatization was observed in 4.0% and partial pneumatization was detected in 12.0%. In 84% of the patients, there is no Crista galli pneumatization. With the presence of pneumatized crista galli, contralateral Keros values decreased. Crista galli height and contralateral olfactory fossa width showed positive correlation. In older patients, cribriform plate width decreased. CONCLUSION: In our study, there was no Keros type 3 olfactory fossa. In males' contralateral side of SD; and in females both ipsilateral and contralateral side of SD, Keros type 2 olfactory fossa were detected. Therefore, during sinus surgery, surgeons should work carefully not to made intracranial penetration.

Antimicrobial Evaluation of Erythrinan Alkaloids from Erythrina cristagalli L.

BACKGROUND: Several species of the genus Erythrina have been used as sedative, antidepressant, and anticonvulsant. Erythrina crista-galli is native to the Pampa Biome and is widely used for medicinal purposes. Erythrinan alkaloids exhibit a range of pharmacological properties. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the basic fractions and the alkaloids isolated from E. crista-galli bark against a collection of bacteria and fungi for the first time. METHODS: Erythrina crista-galli stem bark was extracted with MeOH under reflux. The crude extract was dissolved in water, acidified and extracted with diethyl ether. Basification of the aqueous solution followed by diethyl ether and ethyl acetate extractions gave the basic ether and basic ethyl acetate fractions. Chromatographic purification of these fractions afforded five known alkaloids: erytharbine (1), erysotrine (2), erysotramidine (3), erysotrine N-oxide (4) and erythratidine (5) along with a new alkaloid named here erythratidine N-oxide (6). Alkaloids 1-6 were investigated against a collection of bacteria and fungi using the broth micro dilution method. RESULTS: In this work, a new alkaloid was isolated from E. crista-galli. The most significant bacterial inhibitory effect of alkaloidal fractions was observed against the Gram-negative Pseudomas aeroginosa (MIC values of 31.25 µg.mL-1). Basic ether fraction displayed good antimicrobial activity against Shigella sonnei with MIC= 62.5 µg.mL-1. Isolated alkaloids 1-6 showed inhibitory activity against all bacteria tested (MIC values of 50-100 µg.mL-1). In addition, the crude extract and alkaloids 1, 2, and 5 also showed good antifungal potential against Candida krusei (MICs between 12.5 and 31.25 µg.mL-1). The previously undescribed alkaloid 6 presented MIC values between 50 and 100 µg.mL-1 against all tested microorganisms. CONCLUSION: In general, as with a considerable number of phytochemicals with antimicrobial activity, alkaloids 1-6 may be considered with potential as antibacterial/antifungal agents. The MIC values of the extract, alkaloidal fractions and compounds 1-6 indicate that, at least in part, the isolates were responsible for the antimicrobial activity observed.

Bioassay-guided isolation of potent aphicidal Erythrina alkaloids against Aphis gossypii from the seed of Erythrina crista-galli L.

BACKGROUND: The cotton aphid (Aphis gossypii Glover) is one of the most invasive pests of cotton. Many botanical phytochemicals have a long history as a source of insecticides, and as templates for new insecticides. This study was undertaken to isolate aphicidal compounds from the seeds of Erythrina crista-galli L. using the bioassay-guided isolation method. RESULTS: Three novel and 11 known Erythrina alkaloids were isolated. Erysodine (9), erysovine (10), erysotrine (8) and erythraline (11) showed moderate to excellent aphicidal activity with LD50 values of 7.48, 6.68, 5.13 and 4.67 ng aphid-1 , respectively. The Potter spray tower bioassay gave corresponding LC50 values of 186.81, 165.35, 163.74 and 112.78 µg ml-1 . A unique substructure, which presents an sp3 methylene at C-8, a non-oxygenated site at N-9 and a conjugated dienes group (Δ1,2 and Δ6,7 ), plays a crucial role in the aphicidal activity. Application of erythraline (11) led to different increases in the activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione S-transferase. CONCLUSION: The study demonstrated that the Erythrina alkaloids erysodine (9), erysovine (10), erysotrine (8) and erythraline (11) have potential use as botanical aphicides for commercial application, or as templates for the development of new insecticides. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

A New Erythrinan Alkaloid Glycoside from the Seeds of Erythrina crista-galli.

A new Erythrina alkaloid glycoside, named erythraline-11ß-O-glucopyranoside, was isolated from the seeds of Erythrina crista-galli L., together with five known Erythrina alkaloids and an indole alkaloid. The structure of the new alkaloid glycoside was elucidated by spectroscopic methods, and all of the compounds were evaluated for their antiviral activity against tobacco mosaic virus.