Auditory brainstem potentials in children with protein energy malnutrition

OBJECTIVE: In this study, auditory brainstem potentials (ABPs) were studied in children with protein energy malnutrition (PEM) to determine the effects of PEM on the developing brain in children. METHODS: A total of 31 children, aged 3-36 months with moderate/severe PEM and 25 healthy children, aged 3-48 months were included in the study. Nutritional status of the children was assessed by the Gomez classification. Recordings of ABPs were performed by using Nihon Kohden Neuropack 2 device. RESULTS: Of 31 children, 22 (71%) had severe malnutrition, 9 (29%) had moderate malnutrition. Additionally, 8 (26%) and 9 (29%) children had iron deficiency anemia and hypoalbuminemi, respectively. There were significant differences in the mean latencies of the waves I-V on the right and left ears and in the mean interpeak latencies (IPLs) of the waves III-V and I-V on the right ear between the study and control groups (P<0.05). The mean IPLs of I-V on the left side were found to be longer in the moderate PEM group than those of severe PEM group (P<0.05). There was not any difference between the groups of PEM with low serum albumin and PEM with normal serum albumin. While the mean IPLs of I-III on the right side were found longer in the cases of PEM without iron deficiency anemia, the mean latency of wave I on the left side, and the mean IPLs of III-V on the right side were longer in the children with PEM plus iron deficiency anemia (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings showed that children with moderate/severe PEM had ABPs abnormalities in different degrees, which reflect defects in myelination of auditory brainstem pathways in children with moderate/severe PEM. However, we found contradictory results between abnormalities in ABPs and degree of malnutrition and iron deficiency anemia. We think that more extensive studies should be performed to determine whether or not there was a relationship between these parameters.     

Concurrent Poland anomaly and idiopathic hirsutism

Poland syndrome is characterized by congenital and unilateral absence of the pectoralis major muscle and ipsilateral upper limb anomalies. Identified patients also may include other disorders. We report a 15-year-old Caucasian woman with a unilateral hypoplasia of the breast and nipple, ipsilateral chest wall depression deformity, pectoralis major muscle agenesis, and severe hirsutism (Ferriman-Gallwey score: 21) without extremity anomaly. She had regular menses, and no hormonal abnormality and family history of hirsutism. Therefore, she was considered as a case of idiopathic hirsutism. This is the first case report of hirsutism in a patient with Poland syndrome.     

Management of hardware infections following deep brain stimulation

Summary Objective. To report our experience on hardware-related infections following deep brain stimulation (DBS).Methods. The present article presents the retrospective clinical notes review of gained in a two-centre, single-surgeon study experience of 108 consecutive DBS cases between 1996 and 2002. In all patients the minimum follow-up was six months. One hundred and eight patients received an intracerebral electrode implantation and 106 underwent internalization.Results. In total 178 electrodes were implanted with a mean follow-up of 42.6 months and a cumulative follow-up of 367.7 patient-years. Four patients (3.8%) developed an infection related to the DBS-hardware and all were initially treated with antibiotics. Two patients eventually required additional surgical treatment.Conclusion. Infections due to DBS-hardware can result in considerable levels of morbidity. In certain cases antibiotic therapy may be adequate. In others, surgical intervention to externalise the electrodes may be necessary. In our experience, there was never a need to remove the electrodes.     

The Varna-Thessaloniki telemedical collaboration in setting up a regional transborder transplantation network

In most Balkan countries, with the exception of Greece, transplantation is very rare and equality of access does not exist. In 2003, a Balkan partnership was established called SETNET (South-Eastern European Transplantation Network) for the promotion of transplantation. The objectives are to bring about the diffusion of transplantation techniques and practices in the Balkans, to increase public support for and participation in transplantation, and to eliminate the disparities in access to good health-care. SETNET is already beginning to generate data for an analysis of transplantation-related needs in the Balkans and to accelerate cross-border data exchange in transplantation-related emergencies. In the next few years, a regional training programme will be introduced for all health-care staff involved in transplantation. A regional organ procurement and transplantation network will be set up to utilize the existing telemedicine infrastructure. If successful, it will also prove that telemedicine infrastructures, however modest, can be the backbone for other, far-reaching human networks.     

Erdosteine prevents bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis in rats

Oxidative stress plays an important role in the pathogenesis of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Therefore, erdosteine, an antioxidant, is expected to have an inhibitor potential against the disease. Rats were given one dose of bleomycin in pulmonary fibrosis groups and saline in controls. The first dose of oral erdosteine (10 mg/kg/day) was given 2 days before the bleomycin injection to achieve the plateau level in blood and continued until killing. At day 14, fibrotic changes were evaluated, using Aschoft's criteria and lung hydroxyproline content. Bleomycin produced a fivefold increase in fibrosis score that was decreased by 87% by erdosteine (P>0.001) and almost twofold increases in hydroxyproline content which were completely prevented by erdosteine. Myeloperoxidase activities and MDA levels, which were significantly higher in the bleomycin group, were then significantly attenuated by erdosteine. These results revealed that oral erdosteine may prevent the development of acute pulmonary inflammation caused by bleomycin injection via the repression of neutrophil accumulation and lipid peroxidation, resulting in the inhibition of subsequent lung fibrosis.     

Coronary artery bypass grafting alone for advanced ischemic left ventricular dysfunction with significant mitral regurgitation: early and midterm outcomes in a small series

In 31 consecutive patients with ischemic left ventricular dysfunction and mitral regurgitation ranging from 2/4 to 3/4 (mean, 2.87 +/- 0.34), we performed coronary bypass grafting alone and assessed early and midterm outcomes. Our patients' mean preoperative New York Heart Association functional class was 3.64 +/- 0.48, and their mean left ventricular ejection fraction was 0.25 +/- 0.05. Preoperative thallium imaging revealed that all patients had at minimum a partially reversible defect in the anterior wall. All patients survived the operation. Hospital length of stay ranged from 5 to 21 days (mean, 8.35 +/- 4.07 days), and mean length of follow-up was 21.35 +/- 13.24 months. Postoperatively, patients' functional classification improved to a mean of 1.32 +/- 0.6; left ventricular ejection fraction improved to a mean of 0.43 +/- 0.09; and severity of mitral regurgitation decreased to a mean of 1.35 +/- 0.96. Statistical analysis showed that all improvements were significant. Five late cardiac deaths occurred. Preoperative variables showed no correlation with late death. However, postoperative left ventricular ejection fraction and mitral regurgitation did correlate with late death, which suggests that the reversibility of damaged ischemic myocardium plays an important role after revascularization. This study supports the concept that ischemic mitral regurgitation might well improve after myocardial revascularization regardless of its severity; therefore, it should not be corrected at the primary operation, except in patients with organic valvular changes.     

Biological considerations in locally advanced breast cancer treated with anthracycline-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy: thymidine labelling index is an independent indicator of clinical outcome

The present retrospective study aims to determine the clinical value of thymidine labelling index (TLI) together with other established clinical and biological factors in 116 locally advanced breast cancer (LABC) patients treated with anthracycline-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy, surgery, adjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy. TLI was determined in 71 LABC patients with a median of 2.62% (0–23.64%) and a mean of 4.71%±5.54. As a result of neoadjuvant chemotherapy, 85 patients (73%) responded to chemotherapy (CT), whereas 31 patients were unresponsive (27%). No relationship has been found between the pretreatment biological variables including TLI, estrogen receptor (ER), progesteron receptor (PgR) status and clinical parameters such as the chemotherapy response rates and axillary lymph node involvement following chemotherapy. Median follow-up was 35 months (18–97 months) and the 3-year overall survival (OS) and disease free survival (DFS) rates were 71.6% and 52.2%, respectively. In univariate analysis, patients with inflammatory breast cancer, high TLI-index (2.62%), lymph node (LN) positivity or >3 positive lymph nodes following neoadjuvant chemotherapy and without any response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy were found to have worse DFS and OS-rates and high local and systemic recurrence rates. In multivariate analysis, TLI was estimated as the most powerful independent factor affecting the OS in LABC patients among the other established clinical and biological parameters (p=0.02). These results suggest that TLI is an important independent indicator of clinical outcome in patients with LABC and these patients with high TLI levels require more effective treatment modalities.     

The evaluation of vitamin D levels in patients with carpal tunnel syndrome

The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) levels and carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). 25(OH)D levels were checked in 108 consecutive patients with CTS symptoms and 52 healthy controls. All patients underwent nerve conduction studies and completed Boston Carpal Tunnel Questionnaire (BQ) symptom severity and functional status scales to quantify symptom severity, pain status and functional status. There were 57 patients with electrophysiological confirmed CTS (EP+ group) and 51 electrophysiological negative symptomatic patients (EP? group). 25(OH) D deficiency (25(OH)D < 20 ng/ml) was found in 96.1 % of EP? group, in 94.7 % of EP+ group and in 73.8 % of control group. 25(0H) D level was found significantly lower both in EP+ and EP? groups compared to control group (p = 0.006, p < 0.001, respectively). Although mean vitamin D level in EP? group was lower than EP+ group, statistically difference was not significant between EP+ and EP? groups (p = 0.182). BQ symptom severity and functional status scores and BQ pain sum score were not significantly different between EP+ and EP? groups. We found no correlation with 25(OH) D level for BQ symptom severity, functional status and pain sum scores. 25(OH) D deficiency is a common problem in patients with CTS symptoms. As evidenced by the present study, assessment of serum 25(OH)D is recommended in CTS patients even with electrophysiological negative results.     

Comparison of Microwave-Assisted Hydrodistillation and Hydrodistillation Methods for the Analysis of Volatile Secondary Metabolites

Abstract

Microwave-assisted hydrodistillation (MWHD) and hydrodistillation (HD) were carried out for the analysis of volatile components in whole and ground fruits of Anethum graveolens. L. (dill seed) and Coriandrum sativum. L. (coriander seed). Fruits were distilled using a microwave oven modified to fit a Clevenger apparatus. The effect of microwave energy on the yield and composition of the essential oil was investigated against the classical hydrodistillation. Essential oils of all samples were analyzed by GC-FID and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). In the whole dillseed oil, the amounts of cis.-isodihydrocarvone (from 7.5% to 10.9%) and carvone (from 45.7% to 69.3%) were increased by microwave energy while limonene (from 17.7% to 4.7%), myristicin (from 8.7% to 5.7%) and dill apiole (from 14.1% to 6.1%) were decreased. Grinding of the material also increased the amounts of main components except for myristicin and dill apiole. A decrease in the linalool content of the coriander oil (from 80.0% to 75.5%) was observed in the microwave-assisted hydrodistilled ground fruits. Microwave-assisted distillation appeared to increase the amounts of fatty acids, for example, tetradecanoic acid (from 2.8% to 8.8%) and hexadecanoic acid (from 1.9% to 6.0%) in coriander oil.