Successful Treatment of Myocardial Bridge with Alcohol Septal Ablation in Hypertrophic Obstructive Cardiomyopathy

Hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM) is characterized by left ventricular hypertrophy of various morphologies, with variety of clinical manifestations and hemodynamic dysfunctions. Myocardial bridge (MB) is frequently seen in HOCM patients and the decrease of flow in the coronary artery segment going intramurally through the myocardium beneath a muscle bridge is also associated with angina, myocardial ischemia, arrhythmia, and sudden death in these patients. We present here a rare case of successful treatment of MB with alcohol septal ablation in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy which has not been reported previously.     

Synthesis,characterization, and determination of genotoxic effect of a novel dimeric 8-hydroxyquinoline Cd(II) SCN complex

In this study, a Cd(II) complex was synthesized using 8-hydroxyquinoline and thiocyanate as the ligands and structurally characterized with the combination of FTIR, ¹H-NMR, ¹³C-NMR, UV–vis, and MS spectral data. Then, genotoxic effects of the prepared complex were investigated. Genotoxic properties of the dimeric 8-hydroxyquinolinthiocyanatoCd(II) [Cd₂(8Q)₂(SCN)₂] complex synthesized as drug raw material were analyzed in human peripheral blood lymphocytes. Concentrations of 1, 2, 4, 6, and 8?μg/mL [Cd₂(8Q)₂(SCN)₂] were used for 24 and 48 h durations. [Cd₂(8Q)₂(SCN)₂] significantly increased chromosomal aberrations (CAs) at 4, 6, and 8?μg/mL concentrations after a 24-?h period and 2 and 4?μg/mL after a 48-h period. [Cd₂(8Q)₂(SCN)₂] significantly decreased the mitotic index (MI) at all concentrations, both at 24 and 48?h. Micronuclei frequency (MN) was not affected by [Cd₂(8Q)₂(SCN)₂] treatment compared with the control. After application for a 48?h period, 6 and 8?μg/mL concentrations showed toxic effects both in chromosomal abnormality and in micronucleus tests. It also decreased the cytokinesis-block proliferation index (CBPI), but this result was statistically significant only at 6 and 8?μg/mL concentrations. In the comet assay (single-cell gel electrophoresis (SCGE)), significant increases in comet tail length, tail moment, and tail intensity were observed at all concentrations. [Cd₂(8Q)₂(SCN)₂] displays clastogenic effect in the concentrations used in human peripheral lymphocytes at chromosomal abnormality, micronucleus tests, and cytokinesis-block proliferation index parameters. Further studies should be conducted in other test systems to evaluate the complete genotoxic potential of [Cd₂(8Q)₂(SCN)₂].     

Cerebral aneurysms in Beh?et's disease: a case report.

A 42-year-old male patient was surgically treated for two cerebral aneurysms, 18 months later he developed manifestations of Beh?et's disease. Lack of clinical manifestations as well as angiographic evidence of vasculitis at the time of the cerebral aneurysmal disease argue against the possibility that the aneurysms were complications of the neural involvement of Beh?et's disease.     

The changes of superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase activities in erythrocytes of active and passive smokers.

Cigarette smoking has been implicated in the pathogenesis of ischemic heart disease, emphysema, obstructive lung disease and neoplastic disorders. More than 1000 constituents of smoke, including many oxidants, pro-oxidants, free radicals and reducing agents, have been identified. The activities of erythrocyte superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), which are the important components of antioxidant defense system, were measured in 100 healthy volunteers. This study included heavy smokers (consuming cigarettes > or = 20 per day; n=30, group I), light smokers (consuming cigarettes<20 per day; n=30, group II), passive smokers (exposed to cigarette smoke in the indoor environment; n=20, group III), and non-smokers (n=20, the control group). While activities of SOD and CAT in erythro cytes were significantly lower in groups I, II and III than in the control group (p<0.01 for all), mean erythrocyte GSH-Px activity in group III was higher than that in groups l, II and in controls. These results suggest that the increased oxidative stress occurs in smokers, owing to the free radicals present in smoke. It might cause a decrease in antioxidant enzyme activities and oxidant/antioxidant imbalance. We also observed that passive smokers were affected by the environmental smoke to the same extent as active smokers.