BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE:The training to acquire or practicing to perform a skill, which may lead to structural changes in the brain, is called experience-dependent structural plasticity. The main purpose of this cross-sectional study was to investigate the presence of experience-dependent structural plasticity in mathematicians' brains, which may develop after long-term practice of mathematic thinking.

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BACKGROUND: Curcumin is a polyphenol compound that has antioxidant, anticancer, anti-infl ammatory, antihyperlipidemic and antimicrobial effects. Nucleolar-organizing regions are the sites of the gene on chromosomes. The present study was aimed to show the antitumoral effect of curcumin via AgNOR protein synthesis in Ehrlich's ascitic carcinoma (EAC) bearing mice. METHODS: Twenty three mice with EAC were randomly divided into 3 groups as positive control (n = 7), group 2 (n = 8) and 3 (n = 8) treated intraperitoneally with curcumin (25 mg/kg) and (50 mg/kg), respectively. The animals were sacrifi ced on Day 16, the solid tumors were removed out. Then, total AgNOR area/nuclear area (TAA/NA) and the mean AgNOR number were estimated for each mice. RESULT: Statistically signifi cant differences were determined among the whole groups for TAA/NA ratio (p = 0.000), conversely mean AgNOR number (p = 0.361). When comparingthe two groups; while no difference was determined between the control and curcumin (25 mg/kg) groups (p = 0.061), the signifi cant differences were detected between the control and curcumin (50 mg/kg) groups (p = 0.000) and between curcumin (25 mg/kg) and curcumin (50 mg/kg) groups (p = 0.000) for TAA/NA ratio. However, there was no signifi cant difference for the mean AgNOR number in double comparison of the groups. CONCLUSIONS: The current study showed that curcumin had a crucial function against cancer development. Also, both AgNOR values might be used as biomarkers for detection of the most reliable therapeutic dose selection of cancer treatment (Tab. 3, Fig. 2, Ref. 27). Text in PDF www.elis.sk.

Epilepsy is a group of neurological disorders characterized by abnormal electrical activity in the central nervous system (CNS) and recurrent seizures representing the principal clinical manifestation. Sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) is the predominant cause of death in young epileptic patients. SUDEP patients displayed an increased cardiovascular (CV) risk, probably due to an impaired autonomic control of CV functions, but the underlying mechanisms need to be explored yet. Therefore, we aimed to examine the cardiac morphological alterations in a pentylenetetrazol (PTZ)-kindled rat model, a well-established tool for studying chronic epilepsy. To complete this, the distance between the atria, between the atrium and ventricle were measured, the heart was weighed, and the pathological morphology of dissected hearts was analyzed by histological assessment with hematoxylin and eosin staining. A significantly decreased distance between atria and a significant increase in heart weight were observed in PTZ-kindled rats which interestingly also displayed increased hemorrhagic content when compared with controls. Our findings provided evidence that changes in cardiac morphology may be related to autonomic CV dysfunctions occurring during SUDEP while also opening up more avenues to better develop novel drugs for the treatment of this disorder.

Dextrocardia with situs inversus is an uncommon anomaly affecting about 1 to 2 per 10,000 in the general population. This report describes an adult male patient with dextrocardia and in a Turkish subject. The photographic illustrations revealed transposition of some of the visceral organs such as the spleen was located right and the liver and gall bladder on the left. The heart was flattened and flipped to the right. Many people with situs inversus totalis are unaware of their unusual anatomy until they seek medical attention for an unrelated condition. So, early detection may lead to a successful surgical management and consequently offer a safer chance of survival. This report showed that dextrocardia and situs inversus can be seen amongst Turkish subjects.

Experimental and clinical studies of cardiac pathology associated with epilepsy have demonstrated an impact on the autonomic nervous system (ANS). However, the underlying molecular mechanism has not been fully elucidated. Molecular investigation of the neurotransmitters related receptor and ion channel directing ANS might help in understanding the associated mechanism. In this paper, we investigated the role of acetylcholine (ACh), which demonstrates both sympathetic and parasympathetic roles in targeted expression in terms of the relevant receptor and ion channel. Inwardly rectifying potassium (Kir) channels play a significant role in maintaining the resting membrane potential and controlling cell excitability and are prominently expressed in both the excitable and non-excitable tissues. The immunoreactivity of ACh-activated Kir3.1 channel and muscarinic ACh receptors (M2) in autonomic centers such as the brainstem, vagus nerve (VN) and atria of heart was confirmed by both histological staining and pathological tissue analysis. Significant upregulations of Kir3.1 and M2 receptors were observed in pentylenetetrazol (PTZ)-kindled epileptic rats for all related tissues investigated, whereas no pathological difference was observed. These findings provide proof-of-concept that changes in ACh-associated immunoreactivity might be linked to the ANS dysfunctions associated with epilepsy.

Downregulation of GSTP1 is a significant predictor of pCR and improved progression-free survival during anthracycline-based and taxane-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy in patients with locally advanced breast cancer.

Spine is a column that consists of consecutively lined up vertebras. It includes medulla spinalis. It contributes the motions of head, neck and body. Spine is not a straight column. It figures a convexity towards the front of the spine (lordosis) at cervical and lumbal areas in adults. It also figures a convexity towards the back of the spine (kyfosis) at thoracic and sacral spine area. In this study, lateral MRI images of 731 children between 1-16 years old were examined and their cervical lordosis, thoracic kyfosis and lumbal lordosis angles were measured with Cobb method using ImageJ program for every age group. The mean calculated cervical lordosis angles in 1-16 years old children were found 20.51º±6.11 (minimum 17.96º±6.29, maximum 23.50º±4.14). It has been observed that cervical angle value decrease with age. The mean thoracic kyfosis angle measurement was found 28.71º±6.99 (minimum 24.55º±5.65, maximum 30.44º±4.68). Lumbal lordosis angle was measured 28.08º±7.39 (minimum 20.36º±6.59, maximum 32.68º±6.03). Thoracic kyfosis and lumbal lordosis angle values increase with age. In our study, a statistical difference was found in increasing thoracic kyfosis angle between 1 year old group and 14 years old group. Statistically difference was also found in decreasing cervical lordosis angle value between 1 year old group and 16 years old group. When we compare our study results with literature values, cervical lordosis values were similar but lumbal lordosis values were lower. In a result, we think that knowing sagittal plane inclinations developing in childhood and adolescence stages will contribute determination of pathologies earlier. We also hope that it will contribute clinical stages and other studies in this field.