Relationship between systolic myocardial velocity obtained by tissue Doppler imaging and left ventricular ejection fraction: systolic myocardial velocity predicts the degree of left ventricular dysfunction in heart failure

This study was planned to research the relationship between systolic myocardial velocity (Sm) obtained by tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) measured according to conventional Simpson's method in healthy subjects and patients with heart failure (HF). Two hundred eight patients with HF whose LVEF < 50% (mean age 59 +/- 11 years) and 187 healthy subjects (mean age 57 +/- 11 years) were enrolled in this study. LVEF was measured and TDI recordings were obtained at the septal, lateral, inferior, and anterior of the mitral annulus, and Sm was measured. LV mean Sm was calculated. In patients with HF, a significant correlation was detected between LVEF and Sm (r = 0.71, P < 0.0001), while no relationship was found between these parameters in healthy subjects (r = 0.16, not significant). The cutoff value of Sm < 8 cm/s for identifying patients with LVEF between 30% and 49% had a sensitivity of 86%, a specificity of 93%, and a negative predictive value of 92%, and the cutoff value of Sm < 6.0 cm/s for identifying patients with LVEF < 30% had a sensitivity of 92%, a specificity of 84%, and a negative predictive value of 97%. The time required to calculate the LVEF was significantly longer than that of LV mean Sm (327 +/- 98 sec vs. 110 +/- 29 sec, P < 0.0001), and LVEF had higher inter- and intraobserver variability. LV mean Sm obtained by TDI, a parameter that is reproducible, easily obtained, reliable, and practical, can be used to evaluate LV systolic function in patients with HF.     

Woven right coronary artery

Woven coronary artery is characterized by the twisting course of multiple thin channels along the vessel in any coronary artery with a TIMI-III blood flow. It is an extremely rare coronary anomaly, which is generally considered to be benign. We present a 48-year-old male patient with a woven coronary artery anomaly with a right woven who presented with a myocardial infarction and review the literature on this coronary anomaly.     

A retrospective study of the prevalence and characteristics of dens invaginatus in a sample of the Turkish population

Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess the prevalence of dens invaginatus and to classify the types of dens invaginatus in a sample of the Turkish population.. Study Design: A retrospective study was performed using periapical and panoramic radiographs of 5355 patients who presented to the Department of Oral Diagnosis and Radiology at the Ondokuz Mayıs University Dentistry Faculty between January 2009 and December 2010. Maxillary and mandibular anterior teeth were evaluated for the presence and characteristics of dens invaginatus. Statistical evaluation of the presence of dens invaginatus related to gender was performed by the Pearson chi-squared test. Results: Dens invaginatus was observed in 116 of 4556 subjects, with a frequency of 2.5%. There was only one periapical lesion in teeth with type I dens invaginatus, but 8.1% of patients with type II and 87.5% of patients with type III dens invaginatus had apical periodontitis at the time of referral. There were 116 (72%) females and 32 (27%) males with dens invaginatus. Conclusion: This data represents the only study carried out in a large population in Turkey, and no dens invaginatus was found in mandibular teeth. The most commonly observed type of dens invaginatus was type I (69.8%). Key words:Dens invaginatus, dens in dente, dental anomaly, Turkish.     

Investigation of Antioxidant Potentials of Solvent Extracts From Different Anatomical Parts of Asphodeline Anatolica E. Tuzlaci: An Endemic Plant to Turkey

Background

The genus Asphodeline (Liliaceae) is represented in Turkey by 20 taxa, which are traditionally used for medicinal purposes in Anatolia.

Materials and Methods

In this study, we tested the phytochemical content and antioxidant effect of different solvent extracts obtained from different anatomical parts of Asphodeline anatolica. The different extracts of each plant parts were tested for antioxidant activity using different chemical assays. The total antioxidant components were also calculated.

Results

Generally, acetone extracts produced the seed and root exhibited significantly higher antioxidant activity with high antioxidant components. Total phenolic content of extracts were significantly correlated with antioxidant potentials (except for, metal chelating activity).

Conclusion

On the basis of the results obtained, A. anatolica extracts should be regarded as a valuable source of natural antioxidants for food and therapeutic applications.     

The Effects of Duration of CO2 Pneumoperitoneum on Colonic Anastomosis

The aim of this study is to evaluate the effects of duration of carbon dioxide (CO₂) pneumoperitoneum on experimental colonic anastomosis. Forty-eight male Sprague–Dawley rats were used. The rats were divided into three groups. The rats in group 1 (n = 16) underwent laparotomy and colonic anastomosis without pneumoperitoneum. The rats in group 2 (n = 16) and group 3 (n = 16) were subjected to 2 and 4 hours of 12 mm Hg pneumoperitoneum, respectively, before laparotomy and colonic anastomosis. Half of the rats were sacrified on the third postoperative day; and the other half, on the seventh postoperative day. A colonic segment including anastomosis site was resected for histopathologic and biochemical evaluation. On day 3, hydroxyproline levels of the three groups were similar. The edema score of group 2 was significantly higher than that of group 1, and the necrosis score was higher in group 2 than in group 3. The scores of the other histopathologic parameters were similar. On day 7, group 3 showed significantly higher hydroxyproline levels than group 1, and group 1 showed a higher necrosis score than group 3. In conclusion, CO₂ pneumoperitoneum of 12 mm Hg for 2 and 4 hours did not result in impaired healing of experimental colonic anastomosis.     

The effects on oxidative DNA damage of laparoscopic gastric band applications in morbidly obese patients

Background

Obesity may induce oxidative stress, causing oxidative damage of DNA. We examined associations between decreasing serum and urinary 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) levels and weight loss in morbidly obese patients before and 6 months after laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB).

Methods

We compared patients who had surgery for morbid obesity with healthy, nonobese controls. Urine and fasting blood samples were collected once from the controls and from the morbidly obese patients before and 6 months after the LAGB. The serum and urinary 8-OHdG levels were evaluated in these groups using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit.

Results

We included 20 patients who had surgery for morbid obesity (8 men, 12 women, mean body mass index [BMI] 46.82 ± 4.47) and 20 healthy, nonobese people (10 men, 10 women, mean BMI 22.52 ± 2.08) in our study. There was no significant difference in serum 8-OHdG levels between the groups, whereas urinary 8-OHdG levels were significantly higher in morbidly obese patients than in controls. Weight, BMI and serum and urinary 8-OHdG levels were significantly decreased in morbidly obese patients 6 months after LAGB.

Conclusion

The LAGB provides efficient weight loss in patients with morbid obesity. The systemic oxidative DNA damage was increased by the morbid obesity, but this increase was not related to weight gain, and it was more evident in serum than urine samples. After LAGB for morbid obesity, the oxidative DNA damage declined both in serum and urine.     

Cast immobilization versus volar locking plate fixation of AO type C distal radial fractures in patients aged 60 years and older

Objective

The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of conservative treatment (cast immobilization) for complex intra-articular distal radius fractures (AO type C) in elderly patients and to determine whether or not the application of a volar locking plate (VLP) is necessary.