The influence of shift work on cognitive functions and oxidative stress

Shift work influences health, performance, activity, and social relationships, and it causes impairment in cognitive functions. In this study, we investigated the effects of shift work on participants' cognitive functions in terms of memory, attention, and learning, and we measured the effects on oxidative stress. Additionally, we investigated whether there were significant relationships between cognitive functions and whole blood oxidant/antioxidant status of participants. A total of 90 health care workers participated in the study, of whom 45 subjects were night-shift workers. Neuropsychological tests were administered to the participants to assess cognitive function, and blood samples were taken to detect total antioxidant capacity and total oxidant status at 08:00. Differences in anxiety, depression, and chronotype characteristics between shift work groups were not significant. Shift workers achieved significantly lower scores on verbal memory, attention–concentration, and the digit span forward sub-scales of the Wechsler Memory Scale-Revised (WMS-R), as well as on the immediate memory and total learning sub-scales of the Auditory Verbal Learning Test (AVLT). Oxidative stress parameters were significantly associated with some types of cognitive function, including attention–concentration, recognition, and long-term memory. These findings suggest that night shift work may result in significantly poorer cognitive performance, particularly working memory.     

Left ventricle ejection fraction may predict mortality in renal transplant patients

Purpose: Mortality is a major problem in renal transplant patients, and appropriate preoperative evaluation is very important. We retrospectively reviewed the left ventricle ejection fraction (LVEF) of renal transplant patients.

Material and methods: The clinical records of 1763 patients who had preoperative LVEF results and who underwent renal transplantation at Akdeniz University Faculty of Medicine during the years 2004–2014 were studied. The LVEF limit was set at 55%. LVEF, age, gender, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, type of dialysis were assessed by linear multiple regression analysis on survival.

Results: There were a total of 1763 renal transplant patients. Those with LVEF of <55% were identified as having left ventricular dysfunction. The mean LVEF was 59.4?±?9.1 in the 43 patients who died after renal transplantation, while it was 62.6?±?7.4 in the survivors (p?=?0.02). The mortality rate in the LVEF p?R² = 0.05, p?Conclusion: LVEF may predict mortality in renal transplant patients. LVEF is known to be lower in patients with high cardiac mortality, who may require greater modifications of the postoperative risks.     

Polymorphisms in the tumor necrosis factor-alpha gene in Turkish women with pre-eclampsia and eclampsia

The genetic background predisposing pregnant women to pre-eclampsia/eclampsia (PE/E) is still unknown. The aim of the current study was to investigate whether there is an association between the TNF-alpha-308 and 850 polymorphisms and PE or eclampsia. In this study, 40 cases of eclampsia, 113 cases of PE and 80 normotensive control cases were genotyped for the TNF-alpha-G-308A and C-850 polymorphisms. At position 308, the replacement of Guanine with Adenosine was denoted as TNF2. We found a significant difference between the TNF2 allele frequencies of the eclamptic, pre-eclamptic and normotensive controls. TNF2 (AA) polymorphism frequency was significantly higher among the eclamptics and pre-eclamptics (control : 5%, PE : 13.3%, E : 12.9%). A significantly different genotype distribution of C-850T polymorphism was observed between the PE/E and control groups, with the frequency of the variant TT genotype being significantly reduced in the preeclamptics (PE : 17% ; E : 17.5%) when compared with the control group (24.3%). We have demonstrated an association between TNF-alpha polymorphisms and pre-eclampsia susceptibility. However, it is not known whether C-850T polymorphism has a functional effect on the TNF-alpha gene. In addition, it was not possible to determine whether this polymorphism promotes the progression from PE to eclampsia because of no statistically significant difference between eclampsia and the controls.     

Unilateral parotid gland involvement with synchronous multiple Basal cell adenomas

Basal cell adenoma (BCA) is a rare benign epithelial tumor of the salivary gland. BCA is seen most frequently in the parotid gland and less commonly in the submandibular gland and minor glands of the upper lips, oral cavity, and hard palate. Salivary gland tumors are observed as single tumors in one salivary gland. Double or multiple tumors of the salivary gland tumors are unusual and metachronous or bilateral salivary gland tumors are more observed than synchronous or unilateral tumors. The most commonly seen multiple tumor unilaterally or bilaterally is the Warthin's tumor. A 65-year-old woman with a painful, slowly enlarging mass in front of the left ear, which was present for 6 months, was evaluated. Physical examination revealed two solid and well-delineated masses in the preauricular region, which were 1.5 x 1 cm in diameter and in the tail of the parotid gland, which is 2.5 x 2 cm in diameter. Excision of the superficial lobe of the parotid gland was performed. The macroscopic examination of the specimen showed the two discrete nodular masses. Histologic examination of the two nodular solid lesions was reported as BCA. Multiple synchronous nonmembranous-type BCAs of the unilateral parotid gland is a rare entity. More extensive excision of the parotid gland tumor, careful macroscopic perioperative examination of the surgical specimen, and histologic evaluation of all surgical specimens might be necessary for reducing revision operations and surgical complications.     

Tridimensional evaluation of maxillary and mandibular movements in orthognathic surgery

For better evaluation of long-term results of orthognathic surgery, movements of osteotomized maxillary and mandibular segments should be documented both in x-, y-, and z-axes and in terms of kind of movement (either linear or rotational movements). Lateral cephalometric, anteroposterior cephalometric, and submentovertex radiographs of 14 patients, treated with combined orthodontic and surgical treatment for skeletal class III malocclusion, were reevaluated retrospectively to demonstrate the applicability and usefulness of defined parameters in four maxillary and five mandibular movements. There was no clinically significant relapse in the follow-up period of 6 months in any of the patients. Differences between preoperative and postoperative measurements to demonstrate the linear movement in the z-axis, rotational movements in the x-axis and y-axis of the maxilla, and the linear movement in the z-axis of the mandibula were found to be statistically significant. Differences between early postoperative and late postoperative measurements to demonstrate rotational movement in the y-axis of the maxilla and rotational movement in the y-axis of the mandibula were found to be statistically significant. In this article, the possible tridimensional movements and cephalometric measurements of osteotomized bony segments after LeFort I and sagittal split osteotomy surgery were defined for better evaluation and follow up of the postoperative results.     

Treatment of noncomminuted zygomatic fractures with percutaneous screw reduction and fixation

The standard treatment modality of zygomatic fractures is open reduction and rigid fixation of the fractured segments. Although most of the zygomatic fractures deserve this attentive surgical manipulation to prevent late residual asymmetry, minimally depressed noncomminuted zygomatic fractures can be reduced and fixed percutaneously. Percutaneous intervention causes minimal scarring and morbidity than open techniques and it is possible to align fragments precisely by using high-quality three-dimensional computed tomography (3-D CT) imaging. Six patients with noncomminuted fractures of the zygomaticomaxillary skeleton were evaluated with plain radiographs of facial bones, axial, coronal and 3-D CT. Reduction of the displaced bone segments were achieved by traction of percutaneously applied screw. Either reduced segments were not fixated at all or one of the two new fixation techniques, described in detail in the article, were used for stabilization of reduced segments. In all patients, accurate reduction was obtained. None of the patients showed any recurrent displacement or infection during the follow-up period of six months. The screws were removed in the clinical settings without difficulty. Although percutaneous reduction and external fixation of noncomminuted zygomatic fractures has limited indications, it has its own advantages over open techniques. This method is a less invasive technique and can be performed without any problem in selected cases. Our technique is not suitable for complex zygomatic and periorbital fractures.     

Repeated tissue expansions on split-thickness skin graft in a patient with neurocutaneous syndrome

Soft tissue expansion is a mechanical process that increases the surface area of local tissue available for reconstructive procedures. In most cases, adjacent tissue that matches the recipient site in color, texture, and hair-bearing quality is preferred for tissue expansion. In this particular case with neurocutaneous syndrome, the defects that resulted from removal of parts of a giant hairy nevus overlying the latissimus dorsi muscle bilaterally were grafted with a split-thickness skin graft. Two expanders were then placed under the latissimus dorsi muscles. After full expansion of the grafted area, some part of the remaining nevus surrounding the grafted area was removed and the defects were covered with the expanded skin graft obtained after deflation of the expanders. The expanders placed under the latissimus dorsi muscle in the first operation were reused in the second operation to obtain a second expansion of the skin graft. After the second expansion of the skin graft, the expanders were deflated and another portion of the remaining nevus surrounding the grafted area was removed. The resulting defects were again covered with the excess expanded skin graft. Although repeated expansion of the skin graft is a time-consuming and laborious process, it eliminates the need for taking repeated skin grafts; it decreases skin graft donor site morbidity; it decreases possible infectious complications of tissue expansion by decreasing the number of surgical interventions to the expander pocket; and it increases the aesthetic outcome by keeping all the surgical scars around the grafted area without extending them into healthy surrounding skin.