Effect of caffeic acid phenethyl ester on survival of axial pattern flaps in rats with ischaemia-reperfusion injuries.

Oxygen-derived free radicals have been implicated in the pathogenesis of tissue injury after ischaemia-reperfusion. Caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE), an active ingredient of honeybee propolis, has been identified as having potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. We evaluated the ability of CAPE applied intraperitoneally in reducing tissue injury after ischaemia-reperfusion. To investigate whether treatment with CAPE modifies the concentrations of the endogenous indices of oxidant stress, we examined its effects on a model of flap ischaemia-reperfusion injury in rats. CAPE (10 micromol/kg) was given through the peritoneum before reperfusion. CAPE given intraperitoneally had an inhibitory effect on tissue injury after ischaemia-reperfusion comparable to that of a control group. The anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties of CAPE may contribute to its suppression of tissue injury.     

Dydrogesterone-induced hepatitis and autoimmune hemolytic anemia.

Dydrogesterone, similar to women's natural progesterone, has been used in a wide range of gynecological conditions. Despite its widespread use, dydrogesterone-induced hepatotoxicity and dydrogesterone-induced hemolytic anemia have, to the best of our knowledge, never been reported previously. We describe a case of hepatitis and warm antibody hemolytic anemia due to dydrogesterone.     

E-health literacy of nursing students and investigation of factors affecting e-health literacy during COVID-19 pandemic process: A cross-sectional study

The lack of knowledge on health literacy affects all segments of society, particularly health workers.The objectives were to identify nursing students’ means of accessing information during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, their level of health literacy, and the factors that affect it.This cross-sectional study was conducted in Turkey among 398 nursing students of Çukurova University and Van Yüzüncü Yil University between June 1 and June 30, 2020. As a data collection tool, E-Health Literacy Scale was used, with students’ characteristics and personal information form related to Internet use. These forms were converted to the online format. The survey link was sent to the students’ smartphones and/or e-mails to ask them to participate.Majority of participants were Van Yüzüncü Yil University nursing students (63.8%). E-SYO score average of all students was found to be 29.42 ± 4.39 (min = 14, max = 40); it was is found be at a good level. They used the Internet as the first source of information about coronavirus disease 2019 (65.1%).Among the participants, 65.8% stated that it was important to access the health resource on the Internet and 19.1% of the participants thought that it was very important. It was found that Internet use was being used for >3 times a day (72.9%). The age, class, gender, family type, income level, high school from which they graduated from, and their working status significantly were statistically affecting their health literacy (P < .05). The health literacy scale scores were significant and higher than those who did not know the concept of health literacy, and those who perceived Internet skills well and very well than those who perceived them poorly (P < .05).Nursing students were found to have good average health literacy averages. Improving the health literacy is important for making individuals healthier.     

Angiomyolipoma of the uterus associated with tuberous sclerosis: case report and review of the literature

BACKGROUND: Angiomyolipoma (AML) is a rare benign tumor that occurs most commonly in the kidney. Only a few cases have been described in the uterus. CASE: We describe a 32-year-old woman with tuberous sclerosis who presented with irregular bleeding. Preoperatively, the lesions were confused with leiomyoma on ultrasound. At laparotomy, multiple circumscribed subserosal and intramural purplish lesions on the corpus uteri were noted leading to a diagnosis of uterine angiomyolipoma with the histological and immunohistochemical findings. CONCLUSION: In contrast to other reported uterine angiomyolipoma cases, HMB-45 melanoma-specific antibody immunoreactivity is demonstrated in the present case. The histopathologic diagnosis as well as immunohistochemical analysis is discussed here with a review of the literature.     

Angio-Seal Used as a Bailout for Incomplete Hemostasis After Dual Perclose ProGlide Deployment in Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation

BackgroundThe failure rate of vascular closure devices remains a significant cause of major vascular complications in contemporary transcatheter aortic valve implantation practice.MethodsThis research aimed to evaluate use of the Angio-Seal device in a bailout context in the setting of incomplete hemostasis following use of dual Perclose ProGlide devices in patients undergoing transfemoral transcatheter aortic valve implantation. A total of 185 patients undergoing transfemoral transcatheter aortic valve implantation with either dual Per-close ProGlide (n = 139) or a combination of dual Perclose ProGlide and Angio-Seal (n = 46) were retrospectively analyzed. The baseline, procedural characteristics, and all outcomes (defined according to Valve Academic Research Consortium-2 criteria) were compared.ResultsNo significant differences were seen between the dual Perclose ProGlide vs dual Perclose ProGlide+Angio-Seal groups with regard to the in-hospital Valve Academic Research Consortium-2 primary end points of major vascular complications (n = 13 [9.4%] vs n = 2 [4.3%]; P = .36), minor vascular complications (n = 13 [9.4%] vs n = 8 [14.7%]; P = .14), major bleeding (n = 16 [11.5%] vs n = 2 [4.3%]; P = .25), and minor bleeding (n = 9 [6.5%] vs n = 5 [10.9%]; P = .34), with higher rates of hematoma in the dual Perclose ProGlide+Angio-Seal group (n = 4 [2.9%] vs n = 5 [10.9%]; P = .044).ConclusionFinding from the current study suggest that adjunctive Angio-Seal deployment may be feasible and safe, especially in patients with incomplete hemostasis following dual Perclose ProGlide use, and can be an optimal “bailout” procedure.     

Clinical Impact of KIR2DS3 and KIR2DL3 Genes in Neuroblastoma Patients

ObjectiveNeuroblastoma is a common fatal tumor of childhood. Natural killer (NK) cells can exert direct cytotoxicity on tumor cells. The killer immunoglobulin-like receptor (KIR) family of NK cell receptors is involved in activation/inhibition of NK cells. In the KIR gene cluster, six of them (3DS1, 2DS1–5) encode receptors triggering activation, while seven of them (3DL1–3, 2DL1–3, 2DL5) encode receptors triggering inhibition. We aimed to assess the distribution of genetic polymorphisms of KIRs on the clinical course of neuroblastoma and provide guidance on potential therapeutic options.MethodsOur study group included 50 neuroblastoma patients and 100 healthy children as controls. Twenty-eight patients were boys, and twenty-two were girls; median age was 36 months. Fourteen patients had stage 1, 2, 3, or 4S disease, and 36 patients had stage 4 disease. Isolated DNA from the peripheral blood was amplified for sequence-specific oligonucleotide probe analysis of 16 KIR genes. The Fisher''s exact test was used to evaluate the variation of KIR gene distribution.ResultsAll patients had a lower frequency of KIR2DS3 compared to the control group (p = 0.005). Evaluation of individual KIR genes/genotypes in patients with early stages (stage 1, 2, 3, and 4S) versus stage 4 disease revealed that the frequency of KIR2DS3 was increased in early stages (p = 0.023). Inhibitory KIR2DL3 was increased in the patient group compared to controls (p = 0.038). Furthermore, the frequency of KIR2DL3 was higher in stage 4 neuroblastoma patients compared to the patients with early stages (p = 0.023).ConclusionOur data suggest a role for KIR2DS3 and KIR2DL3 in development of neuroblastoma. Thus, modulation of KIR2SD3 and/or KIR2DL3 expression or function might present a novel therapeutic strategy for neuroblastoma.     

Integration of ER protein quality control mechanisms defines β cell function and ER architecture

Three principal ER quality-control mechanisms, namely, the unfolded protein response, ER-associated degradation (ERAD), and ER-phagy are each important for the maintenance of ER homeostasis, yet how they are integrated to regulate ER homeostasis and organellar architecture in vivo is largely unclear. Here we report intricate crosstalk among the 3 pathways, centered around the SEL1L-HRD1 protein complex of ERAD, in the regulation of organellar organization in β cells. SEL1L-HRD1 ERAD deficiency in β cells triggers activation of autophagy, at least in part, via IRE1α (an endogenous ERAD substrate). In the absence of functional SEL1L-HRD1 ERAD, proinsulin is retained in the ER as high molecular weight conformers, which are subsequently cleared via ER-phagy. A combined loss of both SEL1L and autophagy in β cells leads to diabetes in mice shortly after weaning, with premature death by approximately 11 weeks of age, associated with marked ER retention of proinsulin and β cell loss. Using focused ion beam scanning electron microscopy powered by deep-learning automated image segmentation and 3D reconstruction, our data demonstrate a profound organellar restructuring with a massive expansion of ER volume and network in β cells lacking both SEL1L and autophagy. These data reveal at an unprecedented detail the intimate crosstalk among the 3 ER quality-control mechanisms in the dynamic regulation of organellar architecture and β cell function.     

Exercise-induced changes in QT interval duration and dispersion in patients with isolated myocardial bridging

BACKGROUND: Isolated myocardial bridging (MB) often is considered to be an unimportant angiographic finding; however, its association with cardiovascular event has been shown. In this study we aimed to assess exercise-induced electrocardiographic (ECG) changes and susceptibility to arrhythmia in patients with MB. METHOD: 21 consecutive patients who had angiographically proven MB (group I) and 25 subjects (group II) who had normal coronary arteries underwent exercise test using Bruce protocol. Before and after the exercise test the changes in QT interval duration and dispersion were compared. RESULTS: Baseline characteristics of both groups were similar. Heart rate significantly increased after exercise test in both groups. In group I, after exercise mean QT(max) and QT(min) durations did not change significantly compared to baseline values, respectively. (QT(max): 411+/-20 vs. 421+/-18 ms, p>0.05 and QT(min): 380+/-12 vs. 378+/-10 ms, p>0.05). However, following exercise test QT dispersion (QT(d)) and corrected QT dispersion (QT(cd)) significantly increased when compared to baseline values, respectively. (34+/-13 vs. 66+/-14 ms, p<0.05 and 37+/-14 vs. 69+/-17 ms, p<0.05) On the other hand, in control group QT(max) and QT(min) durations, QT(c) and QT(cd) did not change significantly compared to baseline values, respectively. (QT(max): 408+/-18 vs. 412+/-17 ms, p>0.05 and QT(min): 390+/-11 vs. 387+/-10 ms, p>0.05; QT(d): 25+/-14 vs. 31+/-16 ms, p>0.05; QT(cd): 27+/-15 vs. 33+/-17 ms, p>0.05). CONCLUSION: Treadmill exercise test significantly increased QT dispersion in patients with MB. This increase may result from exercise-induced ischemia at the area perfused by bridged artery.