The goal of this study was laboratory testing for hypercoagulability in patients with solid tumors using rotation thrombelastogram (ROTEM) and correlate ROTEM parameters with routine coagulation tests. A total of 78 untreated patients with cancer were included: 28 gastrointestinal system tumors (group 1), 27 respiratory system tumors (group 2), and 23 miscellaneus group of ovarian, renal, nasopharyngeal, mesothelioma, and unknown origin (group 3). Platelet count was significantly increased in group 2 in respect to group 3 (P < 0.05) and fibrinogen level was significantly increased in group 2 in respect to group 1 (P < 0.05). There was no statistically significant difference between subgroups in respect to TEG parameters. Tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) stages of patients was not also associated with either of TEG parameters. Correlation analysis revealed significant correlation between laboratory parameters and ROTEM parameters. Fibrinogen showed the strongest correlation with MCF (r > 0.7) and CFT in all assays (INTEM, EXTEM, FIBTEM, APTEM). There were also statistically significant correlations between platelet number and other ROTEM parameters (INTEM-CFT, -MCF, EXTEM-CFT, -MCF, FIBTEM-MCF, APTEM-CFT, -MCF). In conclusions, our data demonstrates thromboelastographic signs of hypercoagulability in patients with solid tumors. ROTEM is able to identify the contribution of fibrinogen and platelets to clot strength in this patient population.

No abstract

In this study we investigated the effects of boric acid and sodium tetraborate on an acute leukemia cell line and healthy human lymphocytes. We evaluated the effects of boric acid and sodium tetraborate on the HL-60 cell line and healthy human lymphocytes by using the methods of MTT, Neutral Red, AO (flow cytometry) and transmission electron microscope. We found that there were dead cells at a concentration of 500 µM boric acid and sodium tetraborate (50 % and 40 %, respectively). An apoptotic effect was found at a concentration of 1,000 µM concentration in normal lymphocytes and HL-60 (acute leukemia cells) cells (2.5 % and 8.8 % respectively). We observed that boric acid at a concentration of 500 µM caused double nucleus and micronucleus formation in both HL-60 cells and lymphocytes. An expansion in mitochondrial dimension and deformation in cristas also appeared. Our findings suggest that boric acid is more effective than sodium tetraborate on the HL-60, and boric acid in particular showed a cytotoxic effect on HL-60 in comparison to healthy lymphocytes and it also affected the mitochondrial pathway.

In an effort to develop potent antimicrobial agents, new thiosemicarbazone derivatives were synthesizedviathe reaction of 4-[4-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]thiosemicarbazide with aromatic aldehydes. The compounds were evaluated for their inhibitory effects on pathogenic bacteria and yeasts using the CLSI broth microdilution method. Microplate Alamar Blue Assay was also carried out to determine the antimycobacterial activities of the compounds againstMycobacterium tuberculosisH37Rv. Among these derivatives, compounds5and11were more effective againstEnterococcus faecalis(ATCC 29212) than chloramphenicol, whereas compounds1,2, and12and chloramphenicol showed the same level of antibacterial activity againstE. faecalis. Moreover, compound2and chloramphenicol exhibited the same level of antibacterial activity againstStaphylococcus aureus. On the other hand, the most potent anticandidal derivatives were found as compounds2and5. These derivatives and ketoconazole exhibited the same level of antifungal activity againstCandida glabrata. According to the Microplate Alamar Blue Assay, the tested compounds showed weak to moderate antitubercular activity.

No abstract

Curcumin (diferuloylmethane), the major yellow pigment isolated from the turmeric (Curcuma longa), has received much attention due to several biological properties. Curcumin exhibits a variety of pharmacological effects including antitumor, anti-inflammatory, and anti-infectious activities. In the present study, the effects of curcumin on apoptosis in the acute promyelocytic human leukemia (HL-60) cells was evaluated. Cytotoxic effects of curcumin on HL-60 cells were determined by MTT. HL-60 cells underwent apoptosis on treatment with curcumin, as indicated by increased annexin V-binding capacity and caspase-3 activation with flow cytometric analysis. Concentrations of 15, 20, and 40 μM curcumin significantly reduced cell proliferations. When HL-60 cells were treated with 10, 15, 20, and 40 μM concentration of curcumin, apoptotic rates were determined as 1.2, 81.1, 84.5, and 88.6%, respectively. On the incubations with the concentrations of curcumin, caspase-3 expressions (+) were found to be elevated by 8.5, 18.6, 91.2, and 92.4%, respectively. It was shown that curcumin had significant cytotoxic and apoptotic effects on HL-60 cells. It was suggested that curcumin may have a potential therapeutic role for human leukemia.

This study aimed to investigate the synergy between anticandidal and apoptotic effects of ferulic acid and caspofungin against Candida albicans and Candida glabrata, with the help of a quantitative checkerboard microdilution assay using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) as a viability dye. Apoptotic effects of caspofungin and ferulic acid concentrations (alone and combined) were analyzed for C. albicans and C. glabrata based on annexin V-propidium iodide binding capacities using flow cytometric analysis. C. albicans showed a synergistic effect, represented by a fractional inhibitory concentration index of < 0.5, but C. glabrata showed no synergistic effect (fractional inhibitory concentration index > 0.5). Early and late apoptotic effects of caspofungin and ferulic acid concentrations (1 μg/mL and 1000 μg/mL) were calculated as 55.7% and 18.3%, respectively, while their necrotic effects were determined as 5.8% and 51.6%, respectively, using flow cytometric analyses. The apoptotic effects of the combination of caspofungin and ferulic acid at concentrations of 1 μg/mL and 1000 μg/mL on C. albicans and C. glabrata were 73.0% and 48.7%, respectively. Ferulic acid also demonstrated a synergistic effect in combination with caspofungin against C. albicans. Another possibility is to combine the existing anticandidal drug with phytochemicals to enhance the efficacy of anticandidal drug.

Background: A combination of antibiotics, including metronidazole (MET), ciprofloxacin (CIP), and minocycline (MINO), has been demonstrated to disinfect bacteria in necrotic teeth before regenerative processes. It has been presented clinically that antibiotic pastes may drive to possible stem cell death, difficulties in removing from the canal system, which can limit the regenerative procedure. This study was designed to (1) synthesize nanofibrous webs containing various concentrations of different medicaments (triple, double, and calcium hydroxide, Ca(OH)2), (2) coat this electrospun fibrous gutta-percha (GP) cones. Methods: Poly(vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP)-based electrospun fibrous webs were processed with low medicaments’ concentrations. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Energy Dispersive X-Ray Spectroscopy (EDX), and X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) were carried out to investigate fiber morphology, antibiotic incorporation, and characterized GP-coated fibrous webs, respectively. The chemical and physical properties of dentine were carried out via Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and Nano-SEM, respectively. The antimicrobial properties of the different fibrous webs were assessed against various bacteria by direct nanofiber/bacteria contact. Cytocompatibility was measured by applying the MTT method. Results: The mean fiber diameter of the experiment groups of medicament-containing fibers ranged in the nm scale and was significantly smaller than PVP fibers. EDX analysis confirmed the presence of medicaments in the nanofibers. XPS analysis presented a complete coating of the fibers with GPs; FTIR and Nano-SEM showed no chemical and physical configuration of intracanal medicaments on the dentine surface. Meanwhile, nanofibrous webs led to a significant reduction in the percentage of viable bacteria compared with the negative control and PVP. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that TA-NFs, DA-NFs, and Ca(OH)2)-NFs coated GP cones have significant potential in eliminating intracanal bacteria, cell-friendly behavior, and clinical usage features.