Galectin-1 and Galectin-3 Levels in Patients with Schizophrenia and their Unaffected Siblings

Many hypothesis suggest that inflammation plays an important role in schizophrenia. Galectins can regulate inflammatory response in central nervous system. The relation between galectins and neuropsyhchiatric diseases and schizophrenia is unclear. The present study compared levels of Gal-1 and Gal-3 of patients with schizophrenia to that of first-degree relatives without the disease and healthy controls in order to evaluate any possible association. Sixty-two patients with schizophrenia, fifty-five unaffected siblings and fifty-eight age- and sex-matched healthy controls enrolled. Serum Gal-1, Gal-3 and CRP levels were measured. PANNS and CGI-S were used to evaluate the severity of disease. There was a statistically significant difference in serum Gal-1 levels among the patient, sibling, and control groups. There were no statistically significant correlations between serum CRP ??and serum Gal-1 or Gal-3 levels. Gal-1 values were significantly higher in the unaffected siblings compared to both the patient group and the healthy control group. Gal-3 levels were elevated in the sibling group relative to the patient group. In the literature, the relationship between galectins and schizophrenia is very limited and appears to be a new field of study. Future studies are needed to evaluate the protective roles of galectins.

     

Simultaneous open-heart surgery and pectus deformity correction

PURPOSE: Pectus deformities and cardiac problems sometimes require simultaneous surgery. We report our experience of performing this surgery and review the relevant literature. METHODS: We performed simultaneous pectus deformity correction and open-heart surgery in six patients between 1999 and 2006. The pectus deformities were pectus carinatum in one patient and pectus excavatum in five patients. The cardiac problems were coronary artery disease in one patient, an atrioseptal defect (ASD) with a ventricular septal defect (VSD) in one, a VSD in one, mitral valve insufficiency with left atrial dilatation in one, and an ascending aortic aneurysm with aortic valve insufficiency caused by Marfan's syndrome in two. We corrected the pectus deformities using the modified Ravitch's sternoplasty in all patients. First, while the patient was supine, we resected the costal cartilage; then, after completing the cardiac surgery, the sternum was closed and the additional time required for the pectus operation was calculated for each patient. Patients were examined 1, 4, and 6 months postoperatively. RESULTS: The average operation time was 102 min, and there were no major complications. The pectus bars were removed 4-6 months postoperatively. Good cardiac and cosmetic results were achieved in all patients, who were followed up for 5 years. CONCLUSIONS: Concomitant pectus deformity correction and open-heart surgery can be performed safely, eliminating the risks of a second operation in a staged procedure.     

Protocol shift from agonist to antagonist or vice versa after an unsuccessful intracytoplasmic sperm injection cycle on the same patient does not improve outcome

Objective

While there's a growing data on the comparison of GnRH agonist and GnRH antagonist protocols, no clear study exists on the effects of both protocols on the same patient. The aim of the present study was to compare the success rates of protocol shift and proceeding with the same protocol after an unsuccessful intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) cycle.

Detection of significant coronary artery stenosis with 64-section MDCT angiography

PURPOSE: To prospectively evaluate the diagnostic performance of 64-section multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) to detect significant coronary artery stenosis using conventional coronary angiography (CCA) as the reference standard. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Institutional Review Board approval and informed consent were obtained. In this prospective study, 80 patients (61 male, 19 female, mean age 56) were examined. Sensitivity, specificity, positive (PPV) and negative predictive values (NPV) were calculated. McNemar test was used to search for the significant difference between 64-section MDCT angiography and CCA to detect stenosis. Also, kappa index (kappa) for the agreement between MDCT angiography and CCA was calculated. RESULTS: The sensitivity, specificity, positive (PPV) and negative predictive values (NPV) for detecting significant stenosis were 96%, 98%, 91%, 99%, respectively. The sensitivity, specificity, PPV and NPV for classification of patients with or without CAD were 100% for all. McNemar test demonstrated no significant difference between 64-section MDCT angiography and CCA. Also, kappa index (kappa) indicated excellent agreement. CONCLUSION: Sixty-four section MDCT angiography is an effective diagnostic tool for the detection of significant coronary artery stenosis. Especially, the potential to differentiate patients with and without CAD may provide MDCT an important role in the prevention of unnecessary invasive diagnostic procedures.     

Spontaneous resolution of syringomyelia without Chiari malformation

A 30-year-old woman presented with a cervical syrinx manifesting as hemihypesthesia. Neuroimaging found no evidence of Chiari malformation or tight cisterna magna. Serial magnetic resonance imaging studies over a 6-year period demonstrated spontaneous and complete resolution of the syrinx accompanied by an asymptomatic clinical course. The natural history of syringomyelia is highly unpredictable. The outcome of surgical treatment for patients with syringomyelia is not always satisfactory, so the indications for surgery are controversial. Spontaneous resolution of syringomyelia unrelated with foramen magnum lesion has various causes. Close follow up of the patient is necessary to monitor for recurrence.     

Evaluation of vascular reactivity of young male hypogonadotrophic hypogonadism patients

We aimed to study the vascular reactivity of young male hypogonadal hypogonadism patients without any cardiovascular risk factors and compare these findings with the ones of age-matched healthy controls. Study population consisted of 26 young male hypogonadotrophic hypogonadism patients (20.9 ± 1.3 years) and 25 age-matched healthy male controls (21.8 ± 2.9 years, P = NS). In addition to detailed hormonal analysis, each subject underwent ultrasound study of right brachial artery. Vessel diameter was measured at rest, during reactive hyperemia [endothelium-dependent flow-mediated vasodilation (FMD)] and after sublingual nitroglycerin administration (endothelium-independent vasodilation). Both flow-mediated and endothelium-independent sublingual nitroglycerin mediated dilatation values of patients were higher compared to controls (12.98 ± 10.76% vs. 7.92 ± 1.96%, P = 0.003 and 21.44 ± 10.36% vs. 14.72 ± 3.57%, P = 0.023, respectively). Linear regression analysis revealed that only serum HDL levels (relative risk 2.94, 95% CI 0.12–0.66, P = 0.006) and baseline vessel diameter (relative risk −2.77, 95% CI −17.73 to −2.70, P = 0.009) were found to be independently associated with FMD values. Endogenous male sex hormones seem to exert negative effects on vascular reactivity parameters and much of their effects are indirect that is by the way of alteration on lipid profile.