Prevalence of gastroesophageal reflux disease in patients with asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Background and Aim: It is speculated that the prevalence of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) might increase with asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The aim of the present study was to evaluate the prevalence of GERD in patients with asthma and COPD in an area representative of developing countries. Methods: A validated GERD questionnaire was conducted face‐to‐face with 308 consecutive asthma (240 women) and 133 COPD (35 women) patients in the tertiary referral pulmonary outpatient clinic, and 694 controls from the research area. Detailed histories of patients and pulmonary function tests were also recorded. Results: The prevalence of GERD (heartburn/regurgitation once a week or more) was 25.4%, 17.0%, 19.4% and occasional symptoms (less than weekly) were 21.2%, 16.3% and 27.0% of patients with asthma, COPD and controls, respectively. The prevalence was higher in the asthma group compared with the controls and the COPD group. No significant difference was found between the COPD group and the controls. Heartburn started following pulmonary disease in 24.1% of the asthma group, and 26.4% of the COPD group. The majority of additional symptoms were significantly higher in asthmatics compared with the controls. No difference was found in the consumption of pulmonary medications in asthmatic patients in groups with different symptom frequency. Heartburn was increased 13.8% by the consumption of inhaler medications. Conclusions: These results implicate that the prevalence of GERD in asthma and COPD are lower than in published reports in a tertiary referral center. These differences might be related to the characteristics of developing countries, increased consumption of powerful medications in GERD and pulmonary diseases, or methodological flaws in earlier studies.     

Prevalence of depression,its correlates among students,and its effect on health-related quality of life in a Turkish university

Objective.The aims were to investigate the prevalence of depression among university students, and to determine some of the risk factors connected to depression, and also to evaluate its effect on health-related quality of life (HRQoL).

Methods.This cross-sectional survey was conducted between 1 December 2007 and 31 January 2008 at Osmangazi University, Eskisehir, in western Turkey. The study group consisted of 822 students. The questionnaire included the students’ socio-demographic characteristics, the Beck Depression Inventory, and the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form-36 (SF-36). The data were analyzed by using chi-square, Student's t test, percent (%) ratios, and backward logistic regression analysis with a significant value of P<0.05.

Results. Of the students, 377 (45.9%) were males and 445 (54.1%) females. Overall, the prevalence of depression was 21.8% (n=179/822). Family history of depression, acne on face, any physical defect on body, smoking, alcohol consumption, and future-related occupational preoccupation were all deemed important risk factors for depression (P <0.05, for each one). It was found that, in those with depression, all the mean domain scores of SF-36 scale were lower than those without depression (P <0.05, for each one).

Conclusions.The prevalence of depression among the university students in this region of Turkey was wide-spread, affecting negatively the HRQoL of the students. For prevention and control of depression, depression information and knowledge need to be addressed by health education programs.     

The isolation and characterization of 10 dinucleotide microsatellite markers from enriched <Emphasis Type="Italic">Channa argus</Emphasis> genomic library

Twelve polymorphic microsatellite loci were isolated and characterized for one subspecies of the Xantus’s murrelet (Synthliboramphus hypoleucus scrippsi), a threatened seabird. Using blood samples obtained from 40 birds captured at Santa Barbara Island, California, in April–May 1996, 3–14 alleles per locus were detected, and expected heterozygosity ranged from 0.25 to 0.90. Genotype frequencies showed no departures from Hardy–Weinberg expectations. Linkage is suspected in one pair of loci.     

Use of Rigid Nephroscope for Laparoscopic Common Bile Duct Exploration—A Single-Center Experience

Background  

Increasingly, laparoscopic biliary surgeons are undertaking laparoscopic cholecystectomy and laparoscopic common bile duct exploration for patients with cholelithiasis and choledocholithiasis. In laparoscopic common bile duct exploration a flexible choledochoscope is ordinarily used, and with this instrument the surgeon usually fails to remove large impacted stones. In contrast with use of a rigid nephroscope it is possible to remove all common bile duct stones irrespective of size and degree of impaction. The present study evaluates the efficiency of rigid nephroscope for managing common bile duct stones laparoscopically.     

Acute vitreomacular traction syndrome after uneventful phacoemulsification

We prospectively evaluated 59 eyes following uneventful phacoemulsification and intraocular lens implantation with optic coherence tomography at one and seven postoperative days (POD). Acute vitreomacular traction was observed in two eyes (3.3%) at the first POD. Spontaneous resolution occurred in both eyes within one week. The temporary visual loss associated with acute vitreomacular traction syndrome may go unnoticed as visual acuity rapidly improves.     

The effect of serotonin and serotonin receptor antagonists on motion sickness in Suncus murinus

In the present study, we investigated the effect of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) and 5-HT receptor agonists and antagonists on motion sickness in Suncus murinus, and the possibility that the emetic stimulus of 5-HT can alter the sensitivity of the animals to the different emetic stimulus of motion sickness. 5-HT (1.0, 2.0, 4.0 and 8.0 mg/kg ip) induced emesis and that was antagonised by methysergide (1.0 mg/kg ip), the 5-HT(4) receptor antagonist sulphamate[1-[2-[(methylsulphonyl)amino]ethyl]-4-piperidinyl]methyl-5-fluoro-2-methoxy-1H-indole-3-carboxylate (GR125487D; 1.0 mg/kg ip) and granisetron (0.5 mg/kg ip). Pretreatment with 5-HT caused a dose-related attenuation of the emetic response induced by a subsequent motion stimulus, which was not significantly modified by methysergide, granisetron or GR125487D pretreatment. (+)-1-(2,5-Dimethoxy-4-iodophenyl)-2-amino-propane (DOI; 0.5 and 1.0 mg/kg ip), 8-hydroxy-2(di-n-propylamino)tetralin (8-OH-DPAT; 0.1 mg/kg ip) but not methysergide, GR125487D or granisetron, attenuated motion-induced emesis, and that was not affected by pretreatment with ketanserin (2.0 mg/kg, ip) or N-[2-[4-(2-methoxyphenyl)-1-piperazinyl]ethyl]-N-(2-pyridinyl)cyclohexanecarboxamide trihydrocholoride (WAY-100635; 1.0 mg/kg ip), respectively. Indeed, ketanserin alone (0.1, 0.3, 1.0 and 2.0 mg/kg ip) attenuated motion sickness. These data indicate that 5-HT(1/2), 5-HT(3) and 5-HT(4) receptors are involved in the induction of 5-HT-induced emesis. However, agonist action at the 5-HT(1A/7) and 5-HT(2) receptors, and antagonist action at the 5-HT(2A) receptors can attenuate motion sickness in S. murinus.     

Amplification of sumatriptan-induced contractions with phenylephrine,histamine and KCl in the isolated human mesenteric artery: in-vitro evidence for sumatriptan-induced mesenteric ischaemia

Sumatriptan, a 5-HT(1B/1D/1F) receptor agonist, is used to relieve migraine headache. Sumatriptan contracts some arteries either directly or after modest precontraction with non-serotonergic agonists. Sumatriptan can cause myocardial ischaemia and myocardial infarction. While previous in-vitro studies have shown that sumatriptan has no or only weak contractile activity in human omental arteries, recent clinical studies suggest that sumatriptan may induce mesenteric ischaemia. The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of contractile 5-HT(1B) receptors in the human mesenteric artery and to establish whether the weak sumatriptan-induced contractions are amplified by precontraction with various contractile substances. The study was performed in organ baths using endothelium-denuded isolated human mesenteric arteries. Sumatriptan induced concentration-dependent contractions in some mesenteric arteries [ E(max) 61+/-10% of the maximum contraction induced by 80 mM KCl, pD(2) (-log(10)EC(50)) 6.56+/-0.20, n=9]. In the other mesenteric arteries, sumatriptan induced only very weak ( E(max) <5%) or no contraction ( n=13). GR127935 (3 nM), a selective 5-HT(1B) receptor antagonist, antagonized sumatriptan-induced contractions insurmountably in sumatriptan-sensitive arteries. When the resting tension of the arterial rings was increased moderately by threshold concentrations (EC(10)-EC(20) of maximum contraction induced by 80 mM KCl) with the non-5-HT receptor agonists phenylephrine (10-100 nM), histamine (100 nM-1 microM) or the depolarizing agent KCl (4-10 mM), 5-HT(1B) receptor-mediated responses were amplified in sumatriptan-insensitive arteries (with phenylephrine E(max) 82+/-17%, pD(2) 6.64+/-0.20, n=7; with histamine E(max) 107+/-26%, pD(2) 6.16+/-0.14, n=6; with KCl E(max) 78+/-16%, pD(2) 6.45+/-0.15, n=7). These results show that sumatriptan induced concentration-dependent contractions in sumatriptan-sensitive mesenteric arteries and that 5-HT(1B) receptors were present and active in these vessels. However, in sumatriptan-insensitive arteries, precontraction is required for sumatriptan to induce concentration-dependent contractions. These findings suggest that sumatriptan may induce ischaemia in human mesenteric vasculature directly or in the presence of precontractile risk factors.     

Antifungal evaluation of bis Mannich bases derived from acetophenones and their corresponding piperidinols and stability studies

The development of resistance to current antifungal therapeutics drives the search for effective new agents. The fact that some acetophenone-derived Mannich bases had shown antifungal activities in our previous studies led us to design and synthesize acetophenone-derived bis Mannich bases, B1-B5, bis(beta-aroylethyl)methylamine hydrochlorides, to evaluate their antifungal activity. These bis Mannich bases were then converted to the corresponding piperidinols, C1-C5, which are structural isomers of bis derivatives, 3-aroyl-4-aryl-1-methyl-4-piperidinol hydrochlorides, to see alterations in biological activity. A stability study of B1 and Cl was also carried out to estimate whether they alkylate the thiols. All compounds studied have shown antifungal activity, especially against dermatophytes (Trichophyton rubrum, Trichophyton mentagrophytes, Trichophyton tonsurans, and Microsporum canis), in the concentration range studied (2-128 microng/ml). The activity was especially apparent against T. tonsurans. All compounds had at least equal antifungal activity compared with the reference compound amphotericin-B against T. tonsurans. Bis Mannich bases were generally found to be more potent compounds than their structural isomer piperidinols. The results of our stability studies suggest that thiol alkylation may contribute to the antifungal activity of the Mannich bases synthesized. Even though all compounds showed antifungal activity against dermatophytes, bis Mannich bases B1, B2, B4, and B5 appear to have potential for developing novel antifungal agents against dermatophytes.