Neuroactivity of naturally occurring proaporphine alkaloid, pronuciferine.

Pronuciferine is a naturally occurring proaporphine alkaloid that belongs to isoquinoline alkaloids. The aim of this study is to investigate the neuroactivity of pronuciferine. We assessed the neuroprotective effect of pronuciferine against hydrogen peroxide (H2 O2 )-induced apoptosis in human neuronal SH-SY5Y cells. In addition, we measured the effect of pronuciferine on cell metabolites and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) level in SH-SY5Y cells. In vitro result shows that pronuciferine at 10 µM significantly (P < .001) increased the proliferation of SH-SY5Y by 45%, and upon H2 O2 addition, pronuciferine significantly (P < .001) suppressed neuronal death caused by H2 O2 . Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) metabolomics study revealed that pronuciferine has a high impact on glycine-serine-threonine pathway by changing the intracellular level of serine dimethylglycine, sarcosine, and threonine. Also, pronuciferine increased the intercellular level of aspartic acid, glutamine, and tryptophan. Additionally, pronuciferine significantly (P < .05) increased the intracellular BDNF protein expression at 10 µM. Therefore, pronuciferine is a neuroactive molecule that might act as a neuroprotective agent to prevent apoptosis in neurodegenerative diseases.

Positivity of Demodex spp. in biopsy specimens of nevi.

Melanocytic skin tumors are caused by nevus cells, epidermal melanocytes and dermal melanocytes. The aim of the study was to detect the positivity of Demodex spp. in biopsy specimens of skin diagnosed as nevus. In this retrospective study, the specimens obtained from 110 patients diagnosed with nevus and stained by hematoxylin & eosin (H&E) method were assessed for Demodex. Statistical analysis was done using independent sample t test, Pearson Chi-square and Yates' adjusted Chi-square test. For statistics, p < 0.05 was considered significant. Consequently, 43 (39.1%) out of 110 specimens were detected to have Demodex spp. Demodex colonization augmented in nevi can be explained by the possible affinity of the parasite to the melanin pigment.

Anatomy of the azygos vein examined by computerized tomography imaging.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the anatomy of the azygos vein AV using different parameters. Therefore, the diameter of the AV at its opening into the superior vena cava, the opening level of the AV into the superior vena cava, and the position of the AV, with respect to the vertebral column and carina, were examined by CT. METHODS: Chest CTs of 103 cases (42 female and 61 male) were reviewed at the Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey between July 2004 and February 2005. The CT examinations were performed with a Philips AU E1 spiral CT (Rotterdam, Netherlands) with the following parameters: 120 Hv; 200 mAs; slice thickness: 7 mm; pitch: 1; reconstruction index: 7 mm. The results were statistically analyzed. RESULTS: The diameter of the AV at the opening into the superior vena cava ranged between 4.3 mm and 16 mm. The AV was in the midline in 41 cases. The arching and opening level of the AV was at the fifth thoracic vertebra in most cases. The opening level was most often at the same level as the carina. Hemiazygos veins were detected in 90 patients. CONCLUSION: The parameters measured in this study may be useful in surgical procedures of the mediastinum and during the interpretation of chest radiographs.