Deficiency of a New Protein Associated with Cardiac Syndrome X; Called Adropin

The pathophysiology of cardiac syndrome X (CSX) is still unclear, but most patients with CSX have endothelial dysfunction. It has been shown that adropin uniquely effects the regulation of endothelial function. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the role of adropin in CSX. Eighty‐six consecutive cardiac syndrome X‐diagnosed patients and 86 age‐sex matched healthy subjects were enrolled into the study. Serum adropin levels, nitrite/nitrate levels were measured in each subject. The adropin levels were significantly lower in patients with CSX than healthy subjects (1.7 ± 0.8 ng/mL and 3.4 ± 1.8 ng/mL, respectively; P < 0.001). The BMI values of patients with CSX were significantly higher than control subjects (28.1 ± 2.4 kg/m² and 26.0 ± 3.7 kg/m², respectively; P < 0.001). Plasma nitrite/nitrate levels were lower in patients with CSX than control subjects (15.9 ± 1.6   μmol/L vs. 25.4 ± 2.8 μmol/L, respectively; P < 0.001), and they have a significantly positive correlation with plasma adropin levels (r = 0.463, P < 0.001). In the multiple linear regression analysis, nitrite/nitrate levels, BMI, and adropin were found to be independent risk factors for CSX. A ROC curve is used to identify the ability of adropin levels to predict the cardiac syndrome X. The area under the ROC curve was 0.854 for adropin levels (P = 0.0001). The sensitivity and specificity values of adropin levels were 90.7 and 70.9%, respectively (cut‐off value 2.73). In conclusion, lower serum adropin levels were associated with CSX. Adropin is an independent risk factor for CSX.     

Aromatase cytochrome P450 enzyme expression in prolactinomas and its relationship to tumor behavior

The aim of the study was to evaluate the presence of aromatase cytochrome P450 enzyme (P450AROM) expression in normal pituitary tissues and tumor tissues of patients with prolactinoma and to examine the impact of the P450AROM expression on clinical outcome. Twenty-six consecutive human pituitary tissue samples were obtained from autopsies performed at the Institute of Forensic Medicine. Sixty-four patients who had an adenomectomy between 2000 and 2009 after prolactinoma diagnosis with histologically confirmed pituitary tumor tissues were retrospectively included in this study. The slices from the pituitary tissues were subjected to immunohistochemical staining for evaluation of P450AROM and estrogen receptor beta (ER beta) subunit. Immunohistochemistry results were compared according to age, gender, remission rate, resistance and invasion status of the patients. Higher than normal P450AROM expression was found in the pituitary tissues of the patients with prolactinoma (p < 0.001). P450AROM intensity had no relation to resistance or remission in patients with prolactinoma (p = 0.44, p = 0.45, respectively). The subgroup analysis showed that compared to males without invasive adenoma, males with invasive adenoma had higher P450AROM expression (p = 0.048). ER beta was found to have an impact on resistance (p = 0.049). This study shows that P450AROM expression is present in the pituitary tissues of patients with prolactinoma and that this presence could be important in development and tumor behavior of prolactinomas.     

Subacute effects of methyl parathion on antioxidant defense systems and lipid peroxidation in rats

In this study we aimed to examine how methyl parathion (MP) at sublethal dosages affects on malondialdehyde (MDA) content and antioxidant defense system (ADS) such as reduced glutathione (GSH), glutathione reductase (GR), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione-S-transferase (GST) in various tissues of rats exposed to 19 and 38 millimole (mM) MP dosages as drinking water ad libitum for 28 days continuously. MDA significantly increased in all the tissues except for in the lungs of rats treated with both dosages of MP. With regard to the ADS, SOD significantly decreased in the lungs tissue whereas increased in the erythrocytes with two dosages of MP. GR activity significantly decreased in the erythrocytes treated with both dosages of MP, but decreased in the lungs and liver tissues with 38 mM MP treatment. GST activity significantly elevated in all the tissues except for in the liver treated with 38 mM dosage but did not change with 19 mM. Meanwhile, GSH depletion in all the tissues except lungs of rats treated with both dosages of MP was found to be significant. The observations presented led us to conclude that after the administrations of MP promote MDA content and fluctuate in the ADS in rats.     

Lumbar stiffness but not thoracic radiographic changes relate to alteration of lung function tests in ankylosing spondylitis

Involvement of the costovertebral (CV) and costotransverse (CT) as well as the sacroiliac (SI) joints is known to occur in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS). The functional significance of these changes is not clear. We have performed clinical and radiological evaluations and assessed the effect of joint involvement on pulmonary function. We detected radiologic evidence of involvement of the CV joint in 80% of patients and of the CT joint in 60 %. We found a direct relation between the severity of CV, CT and SI joint affliction, and the severity of CV and SI joints were related to time of evolution of the disease. Pulmonary function tests revealed neither restrictive nor obstructive defects. No relation was found between pulmonary function and CV and CT joint affliction. Patients with stiffer spines had a tendency to have pulmonary function tests within the lower limit of the normal range. In patients with AS diaphragmatic breathing might compensate the chest respiration to some extent. Received: 2 July 2001 / Accepted: 1 January 2002     

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy with taxotere-epirubicin-5-fluorouracil (TEF) in local-regionally advanced breast cancer: a preliminary report

AIMS AND BACKGROUND: Sixty-three patients with local-regionally advanced breast cancer were treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy consisting of docetaxel (Taxotere), epirubicin, and 5-fluorouracil (TEF). METHODS AND STUDY DESIGN: Preoperatively, patients received four cycles of Taxotere (80 mg/m2), epirubicin (60 mg/m2), and 5-fluorouracil (500 mg/m2), repeated every 21 days. Following completion of four cycles of chemotherapy, appropriate surgery was performed. After the surgery, patients received one cycle of the TEF chemotherapy regimen; following chemotherapy, radiotherapy was applied, and at the end two more cycles of TEF chemotherapy regimen were given. RESULTS: Sixty-three patients with locally advanced breast cancer were treated. Three patients were excluded from the study before the evaluation of response. Median age of the patients was 50 years (range, 25-77). Twenty-seven and 33 patients were premenopausal and postmenopausal, respectively. Thirty-nine patients were in stage IIIA and 21 in stage IIIB. Complete and partial responses were observed in 15 (25%) and 42 (70%) of the patients following four cycles of preoperative TEF chemotherapy regimen, respectively. Overall response was 95%, and primary lesion progressed only in 3 (5%) patients. The mean disease-free survival was 15.9 +/- 6.8 (range, 3.5-28) months and the mean overall survival was 18.6 +/- 7.2 (range, 5-30) months. The most frequent side effects were nausea-vomiting, mucositis, alopecia and leukopenia. CONCLUSIONS: TEF therapy is a treatment with a high overall response rate and toxicities similar to other taxotere combinations. A longer follow-up of patients is necessary for the determination of disease-free survival and overall survival.     

Circulating and local bone marrow renin-angiotensin system in leukemic hematopoiesis: preliminary evidences

Until last the decade, the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) was considered as a circulating endocrine system. It is now known that there are local RASs in many tissues. It has also recently been hypothesized that there exists a local bone marrow (BM) RAS with paracrine/autocrine pathobiological functions. The aim of this study was to detect BM and peripheral blood levels of the essential RAS components in normal and leukemic hematopoiesis. Concentrations of renin and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) were assayed in BM aspirates and in simultaneously drawn peripheral blood samples of 16 pre-chemotherapy leukemic and 10 post-treatment megaloblastic anemia patients with normal blood counts, as controls. In the leukemia group, the ACE concentration was found to be significantly higher in the BM (38+/-6.2 U/l) than in the peripheral blood (29.5+/-5.3 U/l), (p=0.029). In the leukemia group, although the BM renin concentration was higher than the peripheral blood levels (21.3+/-8.3 vs. 18.6+/-6.2 U/l), this difference was not statistically significant (p=0.196). In the control group, mean BM renin levels were insignificantly lower than in the peripheral blood (8.6+/-3 vs. 12.1+/-4.6 pg/ml) (p=0.059). In the leukemia group, serum ACE levels positively correlated with BM and peripheral blood blast percentages (p<0.05). Serum LDH level (p<0.01), BM blast (p<0.05) and peripheral blast percentages (p<0.01) were inversely correlated with serum potassium in the leukemia group.The results of this study can be considered as the preliminary evidence supporting the hypothesis of the presence of a local BM RAS. Further, molecular biologic and immunohistochemical studies are needed to shed light on this important subject. A better understanding of the interrelationships of RAS and hematopoiesis will bring new insights into the pathobiology and even novel therapies for such neoplastic diseases.     

Microbial growth in various perfluorocarbon liquids.

A prospective in vitro study was conducted to investigate the potential for various perfluorocarbon liquids to support the growth of microbes, which may be introduced into these liquids as contaminants during intraocular surgery. Perfluorodecaline, perfluoro-noctane, and perfluorophenanthrene were tested for the growth of Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Candida albicans by using tryptone soy broth, pancreatic digest of casein, and Sabouraud broth as culture media for up to 10 days. No microbial growth was observed in any of these perfluorocarbon liquids. Perfluorocarbon liquids do not promote microbial growth. Thus, they do not increase the risk of endophthalmitis in vitreoretinal surgery.     

A coronary aneurysm complicated by acute myocardial infarction. A case report

Coronary artery aneurysm (CAA) is a relatively rare disease that may cause angina, myocardial infarction, sudden death due to thrombosis, embolisation, or rupture. This report describes the case of a man aged 65 years old who had an anterior myocardial infarction due to left anterior descending artery (LAD) aneurysm. We attempted early percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) for treatment of acute myocardial infarction, but were not successful. He was then treated with intracoronary streptokinase. Serial coronary angiographies showed recanalisation and aneurysm on the LAD. The patient was operated on with coronary bypass surgery, and treated with an oral anticoagulant, nitrate, and blocker. He was well after one year of follow-up.     

A comparison of liquid-based cytology with conventional cytology.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the 2 methods of cytologic screening to detect abnormalities of the cervical epithelium. METHODS: This study with 3 groups of women was performed at Selcuk University Meram Medical School between January 2004 and March 2006. In one group (paired sample for specimen collection) women were screened with conventional cytology; in another group (paired sample for specimen collection) they were screened with liquid-based cytology; and in the third group (split sample for specimen collection) they were screened by both methods. RESULTS: The rate of unsatisfactory results was lower in the liquid-based than in the conventional cytology group (6.1% vs. 2.6%; P<0.05). More smears containing atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance were detected by the liquid-based method, but the difference was not statistically significant. Also, no statistically significant differences between liquid-based and conventional cytology were observed in the detection of other epithelial abnormalities (P>0.05). CONCLUSION: The liquid-based and conventional cytology methods were found to be equivalent in the detection of cervical epithelial abnormalities.