Digital Commons Network^™

Comparison Of Two Different Right-Sided Double-Lumen Tubes With Different Designs, Hi̇lal Sazak, Uğur Göktaş, Ali̇ Alagöz, Çi̇lsem Sevgen Demi̇rbaş, Özlem Güven, Eser Şavkilioğlu

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

To compare usage of 2 right-sided double-lumen tubes (RDLTs) with different designs in thoracic anesthesia. Although the left-sided double-lumen tube (DLT) is preferred, the RDLT is necessary in some circumstances. Materials and methods: A total of 40 patients undergoing left thoracotomy were divided into 2 groups receiving a Rüsch or Sheridan RDLT. The position of the RDLT was verified by clinical evaluation. It was also checked by fiberoptic bronchoscope (FOB). When malposition was detected, it was corrected using the FOB. The correct installation time of the RDLT, frequency of bronchoscopy, and left lung collapse time were recorded. Results: According to …

Efficacy Of Azithromycin For Prevention Of Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia (Bpd), Manizheh Mostafa Gharehbaghi, Ali Peirovifar, Mortaza Ghojazadeh, Majid Mahallei

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) remains one of the most serious and challenging complications in premature infants. This study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of azithromycin in the prevention of BPD in very low birth weight preterm infants Materials and methods: Preterm neonates with birth weight less than 1500 g were enrolled in a prospective randomized controlled clinical trial. One hundred eight neonates were randomly allocated to the intervention group (n = 56) or control group (n = 52). The intervention group received oral azithromycin 10 mg/kg for 1 week followed by 5 mg/kg for another week. The outcome measures were …

Distribution Of Prothrombin G20210a, Factor V Leiden, And Mthfr C677t Mutations In The Middle Black Sea Area (Tokat) Of Turkey, Şemsetti̇n Şahi̇n, İsmai̇l Benli̇, Leyla Aydoğan

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

To determine the distribution frequencies of prothrombin (factor II) G20210A, factor V Leiden, and methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) C677T mutations in Tokat Province and the middle Black Sea area of Turkey. Materials and methods: The study group consisted of 243 patients who presented to our center with thrombosis and other complaints. Written permission from patients was obtained. DNA was isolated from the blood samples of these patients. Mutation analyses were conducted using the real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) method. The data were subjected to statistical analyses. Results: According to the results of the study, factor V Leiden was detected in 37 …

The Relationship Between Insulin Resistance And Carotid Artery Intima-Media Thickness In Obese And Morbidly Obese Women, Gülçi̇n Cengi̇z Ecemi̇ş, Hakki Kahraman, Mehmet Seli̇m Nural, Hali̇l Serdar Aslan, Ayşegül Atmaca

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

To compare insulin resistance and carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) between obese, morbidly obese, and healthy women and demonstrate whether there is a relation between these parameters, focusing mainly on morbidly obese women. Materials and methods: Twenty-five morbidly obese women (body mass index (BMI) => 40 kg/m^²), 25 obese women (BMI 30-39.9 kg/m^²), and 25 age-matched healthy women (BMI 18.5-24.9 kg/m^²) were recruited for the study. None of the subjects had diabetes mellitus. BMI, waist-to-hip ratio, lipid profiles, fasting glucose and insulin levels, insulin resistance (by HOMA), and IMT (common carotid, internal carotid, and bifurcation measurements) were compared among the 3 …

Predictors Of Warfarin Use In Patients With Non-Valvular Atrial Fibrillation Who Presented To The Cardiology Outpatient Clinic Of A Tertiary Hospital In Turkey: An Observational Study, Faruk Ertaş, Hasan Kaya, Zuhal Aritürk Atilgan, Mehmet Ali̇ Elbey, Mesut Aydi̇n, Mehmet Ata Akil, Mustafa Oylumlu, Mehmet Siddik Ülgen

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

The aim of this study was to investigate the predictors of warfarin use in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (AF). This study was the first to be conducted in a Turkish population. Materials and methods: Patients who presented to our outpatient clinic with the diagnosis of AF between September 2008 and October 2009 were enrolled. The patients were classified according to the CHADS2 risk scoring system recommended by the AHA/ACC/ESC guidelines for the classification of stroke risk in non-valvular AF patients. The probable variables influencing the use of warfarin were determined as age, sex, income level, healthcare coverage, lifestyle, place …

Histopathological Effects Of The Food Contaminant Furan On Some Endocrine Glands Of Prepubertal Male Rats, Eli̇f Karacaoğlu, Güldeni̇z Selmanoğlu, Aysun Kiliç

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

To evaluate the toxicity of furan on the thyroid gland, adrenal gland, and pancreas of prepubertal male rats. Materials and methods: Furan was administered orally to 3-4-week-old male rats at doses of 2, 4, and 8 mg kg^{-1} day^{-1} by dissolving in corn oil for 90 days. The rats were sacrificed by cervical dislocation at the end of the experiment. Their endocrine glands including the thyroid gland, adrenal gland, and pancreas were removed and weighed. Tissues were examined morphologically and histopathologically under a light microscope. Results: Organ and relative organ weights of rats did not change with furan administration. Histopathological …

Comparison Of The Outcomes Of The Tot Technique Using A Hand-Made Tot Material And A Commercial One, Ahmet Tunç Özdemi̇r, Serkan Altinova, Haci İbrahi̇m Çi̇men, Ege Can Şerefoğlu, Hasbey Hakan Koyuncu, Mesut Gürdal

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of handmade transobturator tape (TOT) devices (tailored polypropylene mesh by the surgeon during the operation) with commercially available ones. Materials and methods: We included 78 consecutive women with the complaint of pure stress urinary incontinence recalcitrant to lifestyle modifications, pelvic floor muscle training, and medical treatment. The patients underwent TOT procedures either with a commercially available product (I-Stop, CL Medical, Lyon, France) (group 1) or with a device prepared during the operation with polypropylene mesh of 35 × 2 cm in size (Prolen®, Ethicon Inc., Somerville, New Jersey, USA) (group …

Genotyping Of Giardia Intestinalis Isolated From People Living In Sivas, Turkey, Serpi̇l Değerli̇, Naci̇ Değerli̇, Ali̇ Çeli̇ksöz, Semra Özçeli̇k

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

The technique of polymerase chain reaction–restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) genotyping was used to characterise morphologically identical isolates of Giardia intestinalis from human stool samples. Materials and methods: In this study a total of 17 trophozoite samples, obtained either directly from stool samples or after excystation, or by duodenal aspiration, were used. A set of primers was chosen to amplify the different regions of triose phosphate isomerase (tpi) and a segment of the glutamate dehydrogenase (gdh) genes. A single-stranded conformational polymorphism technique was also used in an attempt to discriminate among some subgroups. Results: Only primers of the 683-bp segment …

Characterization Of Uropathogenic Escherichia Coli Strains Obtained From Urology Outpatient Clinic Of Ege Medical Faculty In İzmir, Betül Gi̇ray, Füsun Bahri̇ye Uçar, Sabi̇re Şöhret Aydemi̇r

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

To identify the papG gene and its allelic variation in uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) strains isolated from patients with acute pyelonephritis and cystitis. Materials and methods: Seventy-five E. coli strains isolated from patients admitted to the University of Ege Medical Faculty urology outpatient clinic were isolated and identified phenotypically. All of these strains were examined for the papG gene and allelic distribution of this gene with the multiplex polymerase chain reaction technique. Results: papG genes were found in 24 of 75 E. coli strains. Of these 24 strains, 7 (29%) had papG class II only, 8 (33%) had class III …

Effects Of Cigarette Smoking On Male Fertility, Farkhunda Nadeem, Amin Fahim, Saira Bugti

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

This study was done to compare the various semen parameters of infertile male smokers with nonsmokers and also draw comparisons among light, moderate, and heavy smokers. Materials and methods: A total of 130 infertile male patients were included in this study from the outpatient department of Gynecology and Obstetrics at Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences, Hyderabad, from January 2010 to May 2010. The subjects were infertile males married for more than 1 year, and they were selected randomly. The subjects were thoroughly interviewed and were selected according to inclusion criteria. History about cigarette smoking and its duration was …

Circulating Levels Of Igf-I And Igfbp-3 In Gastric Cancer, Konca Altinkaynak, Mehmet Bi̇li̇ci̇, Nuri̇ Bakan, Fati̇h Akçay

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

To explore the causative mechanism of gastric carcinoma and to investigate the roles of circulating IGF-I and IGFBP-3 in gastric cancer. Materials and methods: Serum IGF-I and IGFBP-3 concentrations were measured using a 2-site coated tube immunoradiometric assay. Results: Serum IGF-I and IGFBP-3 values in gastric cancer patients were significantly lower compared to those in the control group. The difference between serum IGF-I/IGFBP-3 in patients and the control group was not significant. Conclusion: The low serum IGF-I and IGFBP-3 levels detected in patients with gastric cancer could be due to decreased synthesis or increased catabolism of IGF-I or both. It …

Maxillofacial Trauma With Head Injuries At A Tertiary Care Hospital In Chitwan, Nepal: Clinical, Medico-Legal, And Critical Care Concerns, Santosh Kumar Yadav, Birendra Kumar Mandal, Abhishek Karn, Ajit Kumar Sah

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Maxillofacial trauma is commonly associated with other injuries, predominantly head injuries. The present study aimed to evaluate types of injury, management, and outcome of patients sustaining maxillofacial trauma and concomitant cranial injuries. Materials and methods: A retrospective study was carried out in the department of oral and maxillofacial surgery. A case series of 63 patients who were admitted to the intensive care unit with maxillofacial trauma and head injuries was evaluated. The data were then compiled systematically and analyzed using SPSS for Windows and values of P < 0.05 were considered significant and P < 0.0001 as highly significant. Results: Among the 63 patients, the majority of them had had roadside accidents (90%) and there was a predominant sex bias with a male to female ratio of 7:1. Fractured maxilla and nasal bones were the most commonly encountered injuries (49.21%), followed by mandibular fractures (38.09%). Forty-two patients (66.67%) required mechanical ventilation, tracheostomy was needed in 19 (30.16%) patients, and 42 (66.67%) patients were operated on for head injuries. The majority of the victims were aged between 15 and 40 years. Conclusion: Maxillofacial trauma with head injuries demands special attention as airway compromise is invariably present. Equally critical is the surgical intervention as simultaneously cranial and maxillofacial surgeries were performed. Preventive measures and legislation regarding traffic rules require a review also as the higher incidence of accidents among young adults has acquired epidemic status.

Assessment Of Haematology Patients With Confirmed H1n1 Positivity, Füsun Özdemi̇rkiran, Hüsnü Pullukçu, Candan Çi̇çek, Seçki̇n Çağirgan, Murat Tombuloğlu, Fi̇li̇z Vural, Güray Saydam

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

H1N1 influenza virus infections in immunosuppressive patients cause complications. Clinical and laboratory findings of H1N1 positive haematology patients were evaluated in this study. Materials and methods: The "H1N1 Swine Influenza Suspicious Case Notification Form and Inpatient Follow-up Form" was prepared for 15 patients with suspected H1N1 infection between October 2009 and May 2010. H1N1 was detected by real-time RT-PCR assay. For all cases medical records were reviewed for clinical, demographic, and haematologic information. Results: H1N1 positivity was confirmed using real-time RT-PCR in 9 out of 15 patients (11 men, 4 women). One of the 9 patients had been followed up …

Role Of The Immune System And Bioactive Lipids In Trafficking Bone Marrow-Derived Stem Cells In Patients With Ischemic Heart Disease, Ahmed Abdel-Latif

Theses and Dissertations--Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics

Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) triggers the mobilization of stem/progenitor cells from bone marrow (BMSPCs) into peripheral blood (PB). The underlying mechanisms orchestrating this mobilization and subsequent homing of BMSPCs to the myocardium are poorly understood. While the role of traditional chemokines in the mobilization and homing of hematopoietic stem cell (HSCs) to BM niches is undisputed, their role in directing BMSPCs to the highly proteolytic environment of the ischemic myocardium is debatable and other redundant mechanism may exist. Based on our observation that bioactive lipids, such as sphingosine-1 phosphate (S1P) and ceramide-1 phosphate (C1P), play an important role in regulating …

Disruptions In The Regulation Of Extracellular Glutamate In The Rat Central Nervous System After Diffuse Brain Injury, Jason Michael Hinzman

Theses and Dissertations--Neuroscience

Glutamate, the predominant excitatory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system, is involved in almost all aspects of neurological function including cognition, motor function, memory, learning, decision making, and neuronal plasticity. For normal neurological function, glutamate signaling must be properly regulated. Disrupted glutamate regulation plays a pivotal role in the acute pathophysiology of traumatic brain injury (TBI), disrupting neuronal signaling, initiating secondary injury cascades, and producing excitotoxicity. Increases in extracellular glutamate have been correlated with unfavorable outcomes in TBI survivors, emphasizing the importance of glutamate regulation.

The aim of this thesis was to examine disruptions in the regulation of extracellular glutamate …

Regulation Of Hepatic Gene Expression During Liver Development And Disease, Hui Ren

Theses and Dissertations--Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics

My first project was to investigate the role of Hepatocyte Nuclear Factor 1 (HNF1) and Nuclear Factor I (NFI) on alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) promoter activity during liver development. AFP is highly expressed in the fetal liver, silenced at birth, and remains at very low levels in the adult liver. A GA substitution located at -119 of the human AFP promoter is associated with hereditary persistence of AFP (HPAFP) expression in the adult liver (Hum Molec Genet, 1993, 2:379). The -120 region harbors overlapping binding sites for HNF1 and NFI. While it has been shown that the GA substitution increases HNF1 binding, …

Blast-Induced Brain Injury: Influence Of Shockwave Components, Dexter V. Reneer

Theses and Dissertations--Neuroscience

Blast-induced traumatic brain injury (bTBI) has been described as the defining injury of Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom (OEF/OIF). Previously, most blast injury research has focused on the effects of blast on internal, gas filled organs due to their increased susceptibility. However, due to a change in enemy tactics combined with better armor and front-line medical care, bTBI has become one of the most common injuries due to blast. Though there has been a significant amount of research characterizing the brain injury produced by blast, a sound understanding of the contribution of each component of the shockwave to the …

Signaling Mechanisms Involved In The Generation Of Human Peripheral Itregs, Mary Catherine Reneer

Theses and Dissertations--Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics

Maintaining balance in the human immune system is critical for the body’s ability to discriminate between foreign and self-antigens. This balance is achieved, in part, by a subpopulation of T cells known as induced regulatory T cells (iTregs). Dysregulation of this population may contribute to the onset and progression of cancer, chronic inflammation and autoimmune diseases. Therefore, manipulation of iTreg development holds promising therapeutic potential; however, studying this vital population has proven difficult due to low numbers, heterogeneous cell populations, substantial phenotypic differences between mouse and human cells, and the high plasticity seen in iTregs. These current limitations have prevented …

Crosstalk Between Gastrointestinal Epithelial Cells And Resident Microbiota Promotes Immune Homeostasis, Eric William Rogier

Theses and Dissertations--Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics

The gastrointestinal tract houses one of the most dense and diverse communities of bacteria on the planet. The mutualistic relationship between the host and commensal microbe permits the microbe an ideal environment to grow and provides the host with increased caloric intake, maturation of the adaptive immune system, and resistance against invading pathogens. To maintain a system in which both parties benefit, the epithelium has evolved numerous strategies to ensure epithelial cells respond to microbes appropriately and that potentially hazardous commensals remain distanced from the soma proper. Breakdown of these propitiating mechanisms elicits unchecked inflammation and can lead to pathology …

Prion Characterization Using Cell Based Approaches, Vadim Khaychuk

Theses and Dissertations--Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics

Prions are the causative agents of a group of lethal, neurodegenerative conditions that include sheep scrapie, bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), and human Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD). Prions are derived from the conversion of a normal, primarily alpha-helical, cellular prion protein (PrP^C), to an infectious, beta sheet-rich conformer (PrP^Sc). Many unresolved issues surround the process of PrP conversion, and we know very little about cellular responses to these unique pathogens. Our lack of knowledge relates, in part, to the difficulty of infecting cells in vitro with prions. While expression of PrP^C is an absolute requirement for prion …

A Diet Enriched In Stearic Acid Protects Against The Progression Of Type 2 Diabetes In Leptin Receptor Deficient Mice (Db/Db), Valerie Lynn Reeves

Theses and Dissertations--Physiology

Dietary saturated fat intake contributes to diabetes and cardiovascular disease, as shown in numerous animal and human studies. However, the hypothesis that stearic acid, a saturated fat, has beneficial effects on these conditions has not been adequately tested. Leptin receptor deficient mice (db/db) and wild-type mice were fed either chow or a high fat diet enriched in either stearic acid or oleic acid for ten weeks. The progression of diabetes was evaluated with blood glucose, insulin, and metabolic parameter measurements. At the conclusion of the study, pancreatic islet organization was examined, and blood, liver and feces were assayed for fatty …

C-Abl And Arg Drive Cancer Chemoresistance Via Activation Of Multiple Signaling Pathways, Jonathan Thomas Sims

Theses and Dissertations--Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences

Despite 35 years of clinical trials, there has been little improvement in one-year survival rates with any chemotherapeutic regimen for the treatment of metastatic melanoma due to resistance to all known agents. Regardless of advances in detection and prevention, diagnosis of metastatic disease remains a death sentence. Resistance mechanisms, including aberrant kinase signaling and drug transport pumps, indicate a need for identification of other therapeutic targets that impinge upon multiple signaling pathways. The Abl family of non-receptor tyrosine kinases (c-Abl, Arg) has been indicted as a causative force in leukemia for more than three decades; however, their role in solid …

Inflammatory Interactions And Secretion In Cardiac Remodeling, Fanmuyi Yang

Theses and Dissertations--Physiology

Heart failure contributes to nearly 60,000 deaths per year in the USA and is often caused by hypertension and preceded by the development of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH). LVH is usually accompanied by intensive interstitial and perivascular fibrosis which may contribute to arrhythmogenic sudden cardiac death. Emerging evidence indicates that LV dysfunction in patients and animal models of cardiac hypertrophy is closely associated with perivascular inflammation.

To investigate the role of perivascular inflammation in coronary artery remodeling and cardiac fibrosis during hypertrophic ventricular remodeling, we used a well-established mouse model of pressure-overload-induced LVH: transverse aortic constriction (TAC). Early perivascular inflammation …

Reconstruction Of Nigrostriatal Pathway In An Animal Model Of Parkinson's Disease, Chen Zhang

Theses and Dissertations--Physiology

Parkinson's disease is characterized by progressive degeneration of substantia nigra (SN) and subsequently loss of the nigrostriatal circuit. Many strategies have attempted to reconstruct this circuit but failed to satisfy clinical trials. The inhibitory environment of the adult CNS and the long distance between the SN and the striatum make true reconstruction difficult. To reconstruct this circuit, we used a transplant-pathway targeting model. Several putative pathway targeting molecules were examined for their ability to direct the growth of axons from a dopaminergic transplant. For a proof-of-principle study, adenoviral and lentiviral encoded glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), GDNF-receptor alpha1 (GFRa1 …

Synthesis And Flame Retardant Testing Of New Boronated And Phosphonated Aromatic Compounds, Vladimir Benin, Sravanthi Durganala, Alexander Morgan

Chemistry Faculty Publications

The present report describes the preparation and use of some dimethyl terephthalate derivatives in transition metal-catalyzed coupling reactions to produce new reactive flame retardants. Dimethyl iodoterephthalate and dimethyl 2,5-diiodoterephthalate were successfully employed in the preparation of phosphonic and boronic esters and acids. The latter were tested for heat release with a microcombustion calorimeter (ASTM D7309) to determine the potential for heat release reduction of these flame retardant molecules. The results showed that the addition of boronic or phosphonic acids greatly lowered the heat release, due to a condensed phase (char formation) mechanism. Adding ester groups to the boronic acids or …

Advancing Our Understanding Of The Inheritance And Transmission Of Pectus Excavatum, Lisa Horth, Michael W. Stacey, Virginia K. Proud, Kara Segna, Chelsea Rutherford, Donald Nuss, Robert E. Kelly

Bioelectrics Publications

Pectus excavatum is the most common congenital chest wall abnormality expressed in children, yet its inheritance is poorly understood. Here we present the first comprehensive assessment of the inheritance of this disorder. After evaluating 48 pedigrees and 56 clinical traits of probands and family members, we find strong evidence of autosomal recessive, genetic control for this disorder. Additionally there is likely more than one pectus disease-associated allele, as well as a relatively large number of disease allele carriers in the human population. Some clinical traits appear important and may serve as reliable indicators for predicting the likelihood of pectus excavatum …

A Proposal To Test The Effects Of Factor Ecat1 On Pluripotency, From Reprogramming To Differentiation Of Human Somatic Cells, Vritti R. Goel

CMC Senior Theses

The field of stem cell research has been growing more because of the interest in using stem cells to cure diseases and heal injuries. Human embryonic stem cells, because of the controversy surrounding them—and subsequently the difficulties in acquiring samples of the existing aging cell lines—can only be used in limited capacities. While the development of induced pluripotent stem cells in the last decade has allowed the field to progress closer to medical treatments, the low efficiency of reprogramming a somatic cell to a pluripotent state, and the vast molecular and genomic differences between human embryonic stem cells and human …

Characterization Of A Hyperthermophilic Redox Protein, Rubredoxin, As A Potential Targeted Cancer Therapeutic, Siri Lakshmi Chirumamilla

PCOM Biomedical Studies Student Scholarship

Cancer is an elusive neoplastic disease that claims the lives of many people around the world every year. Though treatments have become more specific to the different types of cancer, the need remains for antineoplastic drugs that target cancer cells and leave normal cells unharmed, with little to no systemic toxicity. The search for a targeted cancer therapeutic is necessary and urgent, and Pyrococcus furiosus rubredoxin might be such a tool. Rubredoxin is a small (53 amino acids), water soluble, non-heme iron electron transfer protein that contains an iron atom cofactor bound by the sulfurs of four cysteine residues, which …

The Factors Affecting Noninvasive Mechanical Ventilation Failure In Copd Exacerbations, Feza Bacakoğlu, Mehmet Sezai̇ Taşbakan, Özen Kaçmaz Başoğlu, Adnan Tolga Öz, Sedat Ürkmez, Meltem Mi̇di̇lli̇, Pervi̇n Korkmaz Ekren, Alev Gürgün

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

To evaluate causes of noninvasive mechanical ventilation (NIMV) failure. The rate of NIMV failure in respiratory failure due to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exacerbations was reported as 5%-40%. Materials and methods: The necessity of endotracheal intubation was accepted as NIMV failure. The causes of NIMV failure were assessed in 54 patients (45 males; mean age: 67.7 ± 11.0 years) treated with NIMV because of COPD exacerbations and respiratory failure in an intensive care unit (ICU). Results: There was NIMV failure in 20 patients (37.0%). The rates of hospital-acquired pneumonia and in-hospital mortality were higher (P = 0.003 and P …

Laboratory Criteria For Severe Crimean-Congo Haemorrhagic Fever : Letter To The Editor, Mesut Ortatatli, Serdar Ümi̇t Sarici

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

No abstract provided.