Analysis of NKX3.1 expression in prostate cancer tissues and correlation with clinicopathologic features

This study aimed to analyze NKX3.1 expression in tissue samples of benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) and in three different prostate cancer categories. The correlation of NKX3.1 expression with clinical and pathologic features of patients having undergone radical prostatectomy also was investigated. NKX3.1 expression was determined in tissue samples obtained from four different histopathological categories: (1) from patients treated with transurethral prostatectomy for BPH (n = 26), (2) localized prostate cancer patients subjected to radical prostatectomy (n = 38), (3) biopsy samples from prostate cancer patients who were metastatic at the initial admission (n = 10), and (4) tissue samples of prostate cancer patients administered antiandrogens, but who had undergone transurethral prostatectomy for infravesical obstruction (n = 11). Standard immunohistochemical staining was performed using an antiserum raised against recombinant human NKX3.1. Staining was seen in all categories of prostatic tissues. Immunohistochemistry staining scores were lower in prostate cancer patients. The staining scores were significantly higher in patients with BPH compared to metastatic or localized prostate cancer patients. Staining scores of patients with BPH and of those under antiandrogen therapy were similar. No significant correlation was found between NKX3.1 expression and tumor volume, Gleason sum scores, the presence of extraprostatic extension, tumor stage, or serum PSA. NKX3.1 expression is significantly decreased in prostate cancer patients when compared to BPH. However, the decline of NKX3.1 expression was not correlated with prostate cancer progression and was not associated with advanced stage. Thus, NKX3.1 expression is not a clinically valuable prognostic factor.     

Melatonin attenuates renal ischemia-reperfusion injury in nitric oxide synthase inhibited rats

Recent studies show that melatonin reduces the blood pressure (BP) and ischemia/reperfusion (I/R)-induced damage. This study was designed to investigate the effects of melatonin on the renal I/R injury in rats given the nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibitor, N(omega)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME). After right nephrectomy, I/R was induced by occlusion of the left renal vessels for 60 min, followed by 24h reperfusion. The administration of melatonin significantly attenuated BP in NOS-inhibited hypertensive rats. Malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, a stable metabolite of the free-radical-mediated lipid peroxidation cascade, were found to be significantly higher in the I/R group (3.48+/-0.2mg/l serum) than in the control group (2.69+/-0.2mg/l serum). L-NAME (40 mgkg(-1) for 15 days)+I/R significantly increased the MDA levels compared to I/R alone. Melatonin administration to L-NAME rats significantly reduced the MDA values resulting from I/R. We also demonstrated that I/R, and especially L-NAME+I/R, lead to structural changes in the kidney and that melatonin attenuates these changes. These results suggest that melatonin reduces BP and I/R injury in NOS inhibited rats by L-NAME.     

Carcinosarcoma and squamous cell carcinoma of the renal pelvis associated with nephrolithiasis: a case report of each tumor type

Both squamous cell carcinoma and carcinosarcoma of the renal pelvis are uncommon. We report on two cases, one carcinosarcoma and one squamous cell carcinoma of the renal pelvis. In the patient with squamous cell carcinoma of the left kidney, the tumor was neither detectable on preoperative radiological evaluation nor grossly visible in the surgical specimen. This patient, a 56-year-old man, presented with left lumbar pain, hematuria, fever, 4-5 kg weight loss, and untreated nephrolithiasis of the left kidney that had been diagnosed 20 years earlier. The second patient, an 87-year-old woman, also had a long history of left kidney nephrolithiasis and presented with left lumbar pain and hematuria. Both patients underwent nephrectomy for removal of the non-functioning hydronephrotic left kidney. In both cases, microscopic examination of the surgical specimen revealed squamous metaplasia and dysplasia in the pelvicalyceal mucosa, and islands of atypical squamous cells in the renal parenchyma. In the second case, the kidney also showed sarcomatous changes in the pelvis.     

Diabetes education: a chance to improve well-being of Turkish people with type 2 diabetes

To examine the influence of diabetes education on well-being, 255 patients with type 2 diabetes were recruited according to whether they attended a diabetes education program (n=126) or not (n=129). In patients who had participated in the program, the mean anxiety score was significantly lower, whereas positive well-being and general well-being scores were significantly higher than for patients who had not participated. Factors related to lower well-being included: being female, taking insulin, not attending a diabetes education program and having HbA(1c) level greater than 8%. The odds of having better well-being were two-fold higher in patients participating the diabetes education program compared with those who had not. Diabetes education has a crucial role in improving the well-being of patients with type 2 diabetes. All patients with diabetes should be encouraged to attend a diabetes education program.     

Bacteremia in childhood cancer

Infection-related mortality affects the overall survival rates of children who are receiving treatment for cancer. The leading cause of mortality is bacteremia and sepsis related to it in febrile neutropenic patients. All positive blood cultures of febrile neutropenic patients treated in the Department of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, Cerrahpasa Medical School, between January 1995 and January 2001 were reviewed. Cultures grew 159 micro-organisms, 95 (60 per cent) of which were Gram-positive bacteria, 56 (35 per cent) were Gram-negative bacteria and eight (5 per cent) were fungi. Coagulase-negative staphylococci (63, 40 per cent) and S. aureus (8, 5 per cent) were the most frequent Gram-positive pathogens. Klebsiella, E. coli, Enterobacter and Pseudomonas infections were the primary Gram-negative pathogens. Twenty cases were lost because of sepsis: in 11 cases (55 per cent) Gram-negative bacteria, in eight cases (40 per cent) Gram-positive bacteria, and in only one case a fungus were the causative organisms. Although vancomycin was not included in the first-line treatment, the mortality rate of Gram-positive bacteremia was 8 per cent. In Gram-negative bacteremia it was 20 per cent. Gram-negative pathogens, which were resistant to multiple antibiotics, caused the mortality. Drug resistance and mortality due to micro-organisms must be taken into consideration while febrile neutropenia protocols are prepared.     

Length of the third stage of labor at term pregnancies is shorter if placenta is located at fundus: prospective study

AIM: To investigate how the location of the placenta at term pregnancies affects the duration of the third stage of labor and to discuss the possible mechanisms affecting the duration of the third stage. We believe that this is the first prospective study comparing the duration of the third stage of labor according to placental location. METHODS: The placental implantation was determined as anterior (n = 78), posterior (n = 59), or fundal (n = 64) by ultrasound, in 201 women with singleton pregnancies. After delivery of the newborn, oxytocin infusion was routinely given. Duration of the third stage of labor was compared by anova. P < 0.05 was determined as significant. RESULTS: The duration of the third stage of labor was 10.36 +/- 5.94 min, 10.44 +/- 5.35 min, and 8.12 +/- 4.25 min with placentas located anteriorly, posteriorly, and fundal, respectively. The length of the third stage was significantly shorter in the fundal placenta group. CONCLUSION: In this study, the length of the third stage of labor was approximately 2 min shorter with placentas located at the fundus compared to the other two groups. The mechanism responsible for shorter duration may be the bipolar separation of fundal placentas in contrast to usual unipolar down-up separation of anterior or posterior placentas. Another contributing factor may be the use of oxytocin infusion for the management of the third stage, however this should be investigated by further studies by using real time ultrasonography.     

Is SHORT syndrome another phenotypic variation of PITX2?

Even though responsible genetic loci and mode of inheritance for the Rieger syndrome have been well established, the mode of inheritance and the genetic basis for SHORT syndrome are still uncertain. The purpose of this paper is to document a familial translocation of t(1;4)(q31.2;q25), in a mother and her son manifesting Rieger syndrome with polycystic ovaries and SHORT syndrome, respectively. It is suggested that these two syndromes may be different expressions of the same gene, PITX2, localized at 4q25. Our patient is the second with the association of Rieger syndrome and polycystic ovaries, and thus this may not be coincidental, moreover insulin resistance-related phenotypes, such as lipodystrophy and polycystic ovaries, can be major component of syndromes with Rieger eye malformation.     

A comparative analysis of arterial blood flow in unexplained infertility,tubal infertility and fertile groups

We aimed to compare ovarian (O), uterine (U) and spiral (S) artery (A) resistance of patients diagnosed as fertile, unexplained infertility (UI) and tubal factor infertility (TFI) in the peri-implantation period and independent from the impact of the treatment. UI (n?=?70), TFI (n?=?75) and fertile (n?=?72) patients’ ovarian, uterine and spiral artery pulsatility index (PI), resistance index (RI) and the endometrial thickness, serum estradiol and progesterone levels were compared. The specificity and sensitivity values were calculated according to determined cutoff values. Both TFI and control groups’ UA PI values were significantly lower than the UI group’s PI values. The highest UA RI values were found in UI group and the lowest values were in the control group. UI and TFI groups’ OA PI/RI values were significantly higher than the control group. Both the control and TFI groups’ SA PI/RI values were significantly lower than UI group’s PI/RI values. UI patients’ uterine and spiral arteries PI values >1.86 and >0.85, RI values >0.80 and >0.53 can be used as a valuable test showing reduced uterine perfusion. Ovarian artery PI values >0.96 and RI values >0.58 can be used as tests showing decreased ovarian perfusion in patients with TFI. In these patients, embryo cryopreservation can be considered.     

Antimicrobial Activity of Various Extracts of Ocimum Basilicum L. and Observation of the Inhibition Effect on Bacterial Cells by Use of Scanning Electron Microscopy

The antimicrobial activities of chloroform, acetone and two different concentrations of methanol extracts of Ocimum basilicum L. were studied. These extracts were tested in vitro against 10 bacteria and 4 yeasts strains by the disc diffusion method. The results indicated that the methanol extracts of O. basilucum exhibited the antimicrobial activity against tested microorganisms. While the chloroform and acetone extracts had no effect, the methanol extracts showed inhibition zones against strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Shigella sp., Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus and two different strains of Escherichia coli. The cells of microorganisms, which were treated and untreated with plant extracts, were observed by using the scanning electron microscope. It was observed that the treated cells were damaged.     

Assessment of acute toxicity and histopathology of the fungicide captan in rainbow trout

Acute toxicity of the fungicide, captan, to juvenile rainbow trout was evaluated under static-renewal test condition. Actual concentrations of captan ranged from 0.05 to 1.00 mg/L. The concentrations of captan that killed 50% of the rainbow trout (3.11 ± 0.8 g) within 24 (24 h; LC₅₀), 48, 72 and 96 h were 0.57 ± 0.09, 0.49 ± 0.10, 0.44 ± 0.11 and 0.38 ± 0.13 mg/L (95% confidence limits), respectively. None of the unexposed control fish died and the first fish died 6 h after exposure to captan (≥0.65 mg/L). Hypertrophy, separation of epithelium from lamellae, lamellar fusion, and epithelial cell necrosis were observed on captan exposed fish. Gills also had scattered areas of focal lamellar hyperplasia. Fish exposed to fungicide had inflammation and necrosis in liver, trunk kidney and spleen. In order, the most affected organs were gill, trunk kidney and liver.