Lack of association between the Glu298Asp polymorphism of endothelial nitric oxide synthase and slow coronary flow in the Turkish population

BACKGROUND:

Coronary endothelial dysfunction plays an important pathogenetic role in patients with slow coronary flow (SCF). No data exist regarding the possible contribution of the Glu298Asp polymorphism genotype of the endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) gene to human SCF in the literature.

OBJECTIVE:

To investigate the association between SCF and the Glu298Asp polymorphism of the eNOS gene.

METHODS:

The study population consisted of 85 consecutive patients. The patient group included 66 patients with angiographically proven normal coronary arteries with SCF, and 19 subjects with normal coronary arteries with no SCF. The thrombolysis in myocardial infarction frame count was used for the diagnosis of SCF. The Glu298Asp polymorphism was determined by polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism.

RESULTS:

The baseline characteristics were similar between the two groups, except for high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, which was higher in the SCF group than in the controls. The genotype distribution of Glu298Asp was as follows: GG 26%, GT 56% and TT 12%, where G is guanine and T is thymine. There was no difference in the frequency of the various genotypes or the alleles in patients with SCF versus normal controls.

CONCLUSIONS:

The Glu298Asp polymorphism genotype of the eNOS gene is not a risk factor for SCF in the present study population.     

Irinotecan combined with infusional 5-fluorouracil and high-dose leucovorin for the treatment of advanced gastric carcinoma as the first-line chemotherapy

BACKGROUND: Because of insufficient activity and high toxicity of current chemotherapy regimens in advanced gastric cancer (AGC), there is a need for newer regimens. METHODS: Twenty-five chemonaive patients with AGC have been treated with FOLFIRI regimen consisting of irinotecan 180 mg/m(2) over 30 min on day 1 combined with leucovorin 200 mg/m(2) over 2 h followed by 5-fluorouracil 400 mg/m(2) as bolus and 600 mg/m(2) as a 22-hour infusion on day 1 and 2. The treatment was administered every 14th day until progression or intolerable toxicity. RESULTS: Twenty-five patients (17 male, 8 female; 22 patients with PS 0-1 and 3 patients with PS 2), median age 54 (range 25-77), received a total of 230 courses of chemotherapy (median 9; range 1-18). Objective responses were observed in 9 patients (36%), all being partial. Median progression-free survival, 1- and 2-year progression-free survival rates were 8.6 months, 28.4% and 15.3%, respectively. Median overall survival, 1- and 2-year overall survival rates were 11.6 months, 48.0% and 17.8%, respectively. As serious adverse events, grade 3-4 neutropenia was observed in 5 patients (20.0%), grade 3 diarrhea in 4 patients (16.0%). No treatment-related death occurred. CONCLUSION: FOLFIRI regimen is an active regimen with acceptable toxicity for the treatment of AGC.     

The effect of maras powder on DNA methylation and micronucleus formation in human buccal tissue

The plant powder "maras powder" (MP) has been used widely instead of cigarettes in the southeastern region of Turkey. The aim of this study was to assess the impacts of MP and cigarette smoking on the methylation and micronuclei (MN) formation in buccal cells of humans with a comparison to blood lymphocytes. DNA samples from 80 subjects (40 MP users, 20 tobacco smokers, 20 healthy volunteers) were analyzed for their genomic methylation status using Hpa II and Msp I digestions followed by a simple gel electrophoresis and ethidium bromide staining. A densitometric method was developed to measure the methylation in genomic DNA samples and the results were evaluated using a software program designed for this purpose. Buccal epithelial cells were collected from the same groups and examined for MN formation. The results indicated that a general genomic hypomethylation was present in almost all of the samples that were obtained from MP users and tobacco smokers. This hypomethylation was significant in MP users compared to smokers and healthy volunteers. The percentage of cells containing MN was 1.93 in MP users, 0.95 in healthy volunteers, and 1.82 in smokers. The MN frequency was significantly higher in MP users and smokers than in healthy volunteers. There was no statistical difference between smokers and MP users. Evidence indicates that MP usage induces DNA hypomethylation and increase frequency of MN formation.     

Long-term follow-up of pachychoroid pigment epitheliopathy and lesion characteristics

Graefe's Archive for Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology - To investigate conversion of pachychoroid pigment epitheliopathy (PPE) lesions and the development of other pachychoroid spectrum...     

Effect of different light curing methods on mechanical and physical properties of resin-cements polymerized through ceramic discs

Objective

The aim of this study was to compare the polimerization ability of three different light-curing units (quartz tungsten halogen, light-emitting diodes and plasma arc) and their exposure modes (high-intensity and soft-start) by determination of microhardness, water sorption and solubility, and diametral tensile strength of 5 dual-curing resin cements.

Material and methods

A total of 720 disc-shaped samples (1 mm height and 5 mm diameter) were prepared from different dual-curing resin cements (Duolink, Nexus, Bifix-QM, Panavia F and RelyX Unicem). Photoactivation was performed by using quartz tungsten halogen (high-power and soft-up modes), light-emitting diode (standard and exponential modes) and plasma arc (normal and ramp-curing modes) curing units through ceramic discs. Then the samples (n=8/per group) were stored dry in the dark at 37ºC for 24 h. The Vickers hardness test was performed on the resin cement layer with a microhardness tester (Shimadzu HMV). For sorption and solubility tests; the samples were stored in a desiccator at 37ºC and weighed to a constant mass. The samples were weighed both before and after being immersed in deionized water for different periods of time (24 h and 7 days) and being desiccated. The diametral tensile strength of the samples was tested in a universal testing machine at a crosshead speed of 0.5 mm/min. Data were analyzed statistically by nonparametric Kruskal Wallis and Mann-Whitney U tests at 5% significance level.

Results

Resin cement and light-curing unit had significant effects (p<0.05) on microhardness, diametral tensile strength, water solubility and sorption. However, no significant differences (p>0.05) were obtained with different modes of LCUs.

Conclusion

The study indicates that polymerization of resin cements with different light-curing units may result in various polymer structures, and consequently different mechanical and physical properties.