In this study, we have investigated the antiproliferative effect of quercetin on human papillary thyroid cancer cells and determined the apoptotic mechanisms underlying its actions. We have used different concentrations of quercetin to induce apoptosis and measured cell viability. Apoptosis and cell cycle analysis was determined by flow cytometry using Annexin V and propidium iodide. Finally, we have measured changes in caspase-3 and cleaved poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) protein expression levels as hallmarks of apoptosis and Hsp90 protein expression level as a marker of proteasome activity in treated and control cells. Quercetin treatment of human papillary thyroid cancer cells resulted in decreased cell proliferation and increased rate of apoptosis by caspase activation. Furthermore, it was demonstrated that quercetin induces cancer cell apoptosis by downregulating the levels of Hsp90. In conclusion, we have shown that quercetin induces downregulation of Hsp90 expression that may be involved in the decrease of chymotrypsin-like proteasome activity which, in order, induces inhibition of growth and causes cell death in thyroid cancer cells. Thus, quercetin appears to be a promising candidate drug for Hsp90 downregulation and apoptosis of thyroid cancer cells.

Materials and methods: One hundred and ninety healthy volunteer healthcare workers and 66 nonmedical volunteers of Marmara University Hospital were included in the study and 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D), calcium, intact parathyroid hormone (PTH), endothelial function, and CIMT were measured twice during winter and summer seasons.Results: Mean vitamin D levels were 20 ng/mL in summer and 16.4 ng/mL in winter. Out of the healthcare workers, 48.9% were vitamin D deficient at the end of summer and 71.5% in winter. Flow-mediated dilation (FMD) values were similar in both groups in both seasons; however, FMD values of 64 healthcare workers in summer were significantly higher than in winter. Serum 25(OH)D was positively associated with FMD (r = 0.1797, P = 0.0441) and negatively correlated with serum PTH (r = -0.2459, P < 0.0001). A negative correlation between FMD and serum PTH (r = -0.1757, P = 0.0473) was observed. Conclusion:Vitamin D levels of healthcare workers are very low, even in summer time. Healthcare workers must be considered a group at major risk for vitamin D deficiency.

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Aim: There are two kinds of nutritional status assessment for patients which maintain hemodialysis treatment. One of them is the objective and the other is the subjective scoring system. In this study, hypoalbuminemia which is suggested as a diagnostic marker for malnutrition by the International Society of Renal Nutrition and Metabolism (ISRNM) is compared with sga scoring system for the patients biodemographic features. Material and Method: This cross-sectional study was conducted with the datas of 191 patients maintaining hemodialysis treatment in four public hemodialysis centers located in Kars and Ardahan. Patients seperated into two groups according to SGA score and serum albumin levels. The group which dependent variable is SGA is further divided into two according to their nutritional Status which is good and not good (SGA score: 1-14 and 15-49) and the other group which dependent variable is serum albümin is further divided into two as well (serum albümin levels: lower than 3.8 g/dl and higher than 3.8 g/dl). Patients age, duration of hemodialysis, vascular access, diabetes mellitus presence are considered as the independent variables and are compared with dependent variables. Results: The analysis results of 191 patients datas revealed that, the percentage of patients whose nutritional Status is not fine is 39%, serum albümin levels lower than 3.8 g/dl is 51.3%, womens percentage is 40.8, age 65 and older is 51.3%, duration of hemodialysis gelonger than 5 years is 40.8%, barody mass Index below 23 is 43.5%, Kt/V ratio lower than the target value is 22.5%. There is no significant statistical difference between SGA score and independent variables. The objective parameter serum albümin levels and patients gender, Kt/V ratio, anemisi, serum CRP, vascular access have significant statistical differences. Conclusion: In hemodialysis patients, objective parameters are more effective markers than SGA in evaluating nutritional status.