Cardiovascular risk factors in obese and non-obese patients with spectrum disorder schizophrenia

Şizofreni spektrum bozukluğu (ŞSB) hastalarında beklenen yaşam süresi normal popülasyona göre daha kısa olup aterosklerotik kalp damar hastalığı (AKDH), ölüm nedenleri arasında birinci sırada yer almaktadır. AKDH risk faktörlerinden biri olan obezite, bu hastalarda normal populasyona göre daha sık görülmektedir. ŞSB hastalarında kullanılan antipsikotiklerin obeziteye neden olduğu düşünülmektedir. Çalışmalarda AKDH ile ilişkili olduğu düşünülen bazı inflamatuvar belirteçlerin obezitenin ve ŞSB'nin etyopatogenezinde de etkili olduğuna dair veriler elde edilmiştir. Bu çalışmada çeşitli inflamatuvar belirteçlerin düzeylerini karşılaştırarak ŞSB hastalarında AKDH riskininin obezite ile olan ilişkisini incelemeyi amaçladık. Çalışmaya antipsikotik kullanan 40 obez ŞSB (OŞSB) ve 40 obez olmayan ŞSB (OOŞSB) toplam 80 hasta ve 40 obez (OK) ve 40 obez olmayan (OOK) toplam 80 sağlıklı kontrol dahil edildi. Katılımcılardan ayrıntılı anamnez alındı, hasta grubuna psikiyatrik değerlendirme ölçekleri uygulandı. Rutin biyokimyasal parametre düzeyleri otoanalizörde çalışıldı, aterosklerozun inflamatuvar belirteçleri (TNFα, CD40L, MCP-1, PAI-1, P Selektin, IL-6, hsCRP) ELISA metodu ile ölçüldü. Yapılan inceleme sonucunda TNFα, CD40L, MCP-1, PAI-1, P Selektin düzeyleri ŞSB hasta grubunda kontrol grubuna göre yüksek saptanırken, IL-6 düzeyleri hasta grubunda daha düşük bulundu. Altgruplar karşılaştırıldığında hsCRP, OŞSB hasta grubunda OOŞSB hasta grubuna göre, OK grubunda OOK grubuna göre belirgin yüksekti. PAI-1 düzeyleri OK grubunda OOK grubuna göre anlamlı olarak daha düşük, TNFα düzeyleri ise daha yüksek saptandı. P Selektin, MCP-1, TNFα ve CD40L düzeyleri OOŞSB hasta grubunda OOK grubuna göre, OŞSB hasta grubunda OK grubuna göre; IL-6 düzeyleri OOK grubunda OOŞSB grubuna göre, OK grubunda OŞSB grubuna göre anlamlı olarak daha yüksek saptandı. OK grubunda PAI-1 düzeyleri OŞSB grubuna göre daha düşük bulundu. ŞSB hastalarındaki kilo artışının çeşitli inflamatuvar göstergeler üzerindeki etkisini araştırdığımız bu çalışmada P Selektin, IL-6, MCP-1 ve CD40L düzeylerinin hastalık süreciyle ilişkili, PAI-1 ve TNFα seviyelerinin ise hastalık ve obezite ile ilişkili olabileceği ve hsCRP ise sadece obeziteyle ilişkili olabileceği görüşüne varılmıştır.Patients with Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorder (SSD) have a shorter life expectancy than the general population and in these patients atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ACVD), ranks first among the causes of death. Obesity is one of the risk factors for ACVD, and it is more frequent in SSD patients than in the normal population. Antipsychotics, used in SSD patients, are thought to contribute to the obesity. Studies have revealed that the inflammatory markers which are thought to be associated ACVD risk, have been effective in pathogenesis of obesity. In this study, we aimed to investigate the relationship between obesity and risk of the ACVD, comparing the inflammatory markers associated with obesity and ACVD in SSD patients. 40 obese SSD (OSSD), 40 non-obese SSD (NOSSD) patients using antipsychotic treatment (total 80 patients), and 40 obese (OC) and also 40 non-obese (NOC) healthy control subjects (in total 80 healthy control) were included in this study. Detailed history of the participants was questioned, and psychiatric rating scales were performed in the patient group. Biochemical parameters were measured in autoanalyser and inflammatory markers of atherosclerosis (TNFα, CD40L, MCP-1, PAI-1, P selectin, IL-6, hsCRP) were measured by ELISA method. As a result of the analysis, TNFα, CD40L, MCP-1, PAI-1, P-selectin levels were higher in the SSD patient group, whereas IL-6 levels were significantly lower in SSD patient group compared to the control group. When we compared the subgroups, hsCRP levels were significantly higher in OSSD patients group than NOSSD patients group, and higher in OC group than NOC group. PAI-1 levels were significantly lower, TNFα levels were significantly higher than OC group those of NOC group. P Selectin, MCP-1, TNFα and CD40L levels were significantly higher than the NOC group in patients with NOSSD, higher than OC in patient OSSD. IL-6 levels were also significantly higher in NOC group compared with NOSSD group, in OC group compared with OSSD group. PAI-1 levels were significantly lower than those of OSSD group in the OC group. The study which investigated by us the effect on weight gain of various inflammatory markers on SSD patients, we concluded that P-Selectin, IL-6, MCP-1 and CD40L levels may be related to disease process, PAI-1 and TNFα levels may be associated with the disease and obesity, and hsCRP may be related to only obesity

The Effects of Foliar Salicylic Acid and Zinc Treatments on Proline, Carotenoid, and Chlorophyll Content and Anti-Oxidant Enzyme Activity in <i>Galanthus elwesii</i> Hook

Galanthus elwesii Hook. is an important plant species of the Amaryllidaceae family and is used for the medicinal purposes of its valuable bioactive compounds. The present study was conducted to investigate the effects of foliar salicylic acid (SA) and zinc (Zn) treatments on the proline, carotenoid, and chlorophyll content and the anti-oxidant enzyme activity in G. elwesii. The ascorbate peroxidase (APX) enzyme activity, catalase (CAT) enzyme activity, and protein contents were determined with ascorbate oxidation, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), and Bradford experiments, respectively. The plants were treated with three different concentrations of SA (0.5, 1, and 2 mM) and Zn (40, 80, and 120 mM) and were compared with the control. Fresh leaves were harvested in the study. APX (3.99 ± 0.58 EU/mg protein) and CAT (154.64 ± 4.10 EU/mg protein) were obtained from Zn 80 and 120 mM treatments at the highest level, respectively. The proline, chlorophyll b, and carotenoid content increased 12.4, 1.54, and 3.95-fold, respectively, in 0.5 mM SA treatments, when matched with the control group. It was found that increasing doses of SA and Zn increased the content of malondialdehyde (MDA), but this was not at a significant level. The total chlorophyll content increased 2.27-fold in Zn 120 mM + SA 2 mM treatment and the chlorophyll content increased 2.41-fold in Zn 40 mM + SA 1 mM treatment

Callus formation and camphor aggregation in response to sorbitol stimulated osmotic stress in yarrow

Sorbitol is an important source of abiotic stress that is used to increase osmolality in cell cultures. It increases the antioxidant enzymes of defense catalase (CAT), peroxidase (POD), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) in the stress state of cells. Sorbitol plays an important role in stimulating these enzymes in cells and increasing phenylalanine ammonium lyase (PAL) activity. The aim of this study was to apply increasing doses of sorbitol elicitor to cell suspension cultures to determine the changes in cell number, viability, dry weight, and camphor content. In vitro plantlets were obtained from plant seeds and stem segments of these plants were used as explant source. Cell cultures were established after callus formation. Then, 0 (control), 5, 25, and 50 g L-1 sorbitol was dissolved in distilled water and cultured. Samples were taken three times in total, starting from day 1 to day 3. The content of camphor was detected by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Cell number, viability,dry weight, and camphor content increased significantly with increasing doses of sorbitol compared to sampling times. Compared to the initial culture, the amount of camphor increased by 40% at the 5 g L-1 dose, 82% at the 25 g L-1 dose, and 154% at the 50 g L-1 dose. In A. gypsicola cell cultures, increasing doses of sorbitol have clearly demonstrated the secondary metabolite accumulation and its positive effect on cell growth

Clinical and laboratory features of patients with musculoskeletal brucellosis

Amaç: Kırıkkale ve kırsalında kas-iskelet sistemi tutulumu olan brusellozisli hastalarda demografik, klinik ve laboratuvar özellikleri incelemek. Gereç ve Yöntemler: Çalışmaya kas-iskelet sistemi tutulumu olan brusellozis tanısı konulmuş 28 hasta dahil edildi. Hastaların demografik özellikleri, yakınmasının süresi, şekli, olası enfeksiyon kaynağı sorgulandı. Ayrıntılı sistemik ve kas-iskelet sistemi muayene bulguları not edildi. Rutin biyokimya, tam kan sayımı, eritrosit sedimentasyon hızı, C-reaktif protein, romatoid faktör, antinükleer antikor, kan kültürü ve standart tüp aglütinasyon testleri yapıldı. Hastaların tümünde sakroiliak, lumbosakral ve gerekli görülen durumlarda periferik eklem radyografileri değerlendirildi. Klinik ve radyografik olarak derin eklemlerin tutulumundan şüphede kalındığı durumlarda magnetik rezonans görüntüleme yönteminden faydalanıldı. Bulgular: Hastaların yaş ortalaması 39.4 ± 14.4 yıl, hastalık süreleri 10.1 ± 12.7 aydı ve %64.3’ü erkekti. En sık izlenen semptom artralji (%85.7), bulgu ise splenomegaliydi (%32.1). Kan kültürü %39.3 hastada pozitifti. Eklem tutulumu olarak periferik artrit %71 oranı ile ilk sıradaydı ve en sık tutulan periferik eklemler %35 ile kalça ve dizdi. Sakroiliit %32 hastada tespit edildi ve %89’u unilateraldi. Spondilit %14 hastada ve en sık lomber segmentte (%75) izlendi. Her bir kas-iskelet sistemi tutulumunun tipi tüm parametreler açısından diğerleri ile kıyaslandığında sakroiliit grubunda sadece sakroiliak testleri pozitifliği, spondiliti olan grupta yaş, perküsyonla vertebra hassasiyeti ve spinal hareketlerle ağrının varlığı, diğerlerinden anlamlı düzeyde farklıydı (p< 0.05). Sonuç: Bölgemizde brusellozis saptanan ve aynı zamanda kas-iskelet sistemi tutulumu olan olgularda en sık tutulum periferik eklemlerde izlenmektedir. Sakroiliak ekleme yönelik özel testler sakroiliit için yol gösterici olabilir. Özellikle spinal hareketleri ağrılı ve perküsyonla hassasiyet saptanan brusellozisli yaşlı hastalarda omurga tutulumu olabileceği akılda tutulmalıdır. Spinal ya da periferik eklem ağrısı olan ve yumuşak doku romatizmasına bağlı şikayeti bulunan hastalarda brusellozis ayırıcı tanıda yer almalıdır.Objective: To evaluate the demographic, clinical and laboratory features of patients with musculoskeletal brucellosis in urban and rural areas of Kırıkkale, Turkey. Material and Methods: Twenty-eight patients with the diagnosis of musculoskeletal brucellosis were included in the study. All patients were questioned for demographic characteristics, duration and characteristics of complaints and possible source of infection. The findings of detailed systemic and musculoskeletal examinations were noted. Routine blood chemistries, complete blood count, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C-reactive protein, rheumatoid factor, antinuclear antibody, blood culture and standard tube agglutination tests were carried out. Radiographs of the sacroiliac joints and lumbosacral spine of all patients and, if required, radiographs of peripheral joints were evaluated. Magnetic resonance imaging was performed on those in whom deep joint involvement was suspected clinically and radiographically. Results: Patient mean age was 39.4&plusmn;14.4 yr, mean duration of disease was 10.1 &plusmn; 12.7 yr, and 64.3% of the patients were male. The most frequent symptom was arthralgia (85.7%), and the most prevalent sign was splenomegaly (32.1%). Blood cultures were positive in 39.3% of the patients. Peripheral arthritis had the highest incidence with a rate of 71% in joint manifestations, and the most frequent involvement sites were hip and knee with a ratio of 35%. Sacroiliitis was detected in 32% and was unilateral in 89% of the patients. Spondylitis was found in 14% of the patients, most frequently in lumbar segments (75%). Each musculoskeletal involvement site in terms of all parameters were compared with the others and only the sacroiliac test in the sacroiliitis group and age, vertebral tenderness with percussion and the presence of painful spinal movements in spondylitis group were significantly different from the others (p&lt; 0.05). Conclusion: Peripheral joints are the most common articular involvement sites in patients with musculoskeletal brucellosis in our region. Specific sacroiliac joints tests may serve as guides to sacroiliitis. Spinal involvement should be kept in mind in elderly patients with brucellosis, particularly when spinal movements are painful or tenderness is elicited with percussion over the spine. Brucellosis should be included in the differential diagnosis of patients with spinal or peripheral joint pain and in those presenting with complaints due to soft tissue rheumatism

Impact of SPARC expression on treatment response of pembrolizumab and brain metastasis in patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer

Background: Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) often exhibits elevated Secreted Protein Acidic and Cysteine-Rich (SPARC) expression. In this study, we investigated the impact of SPARC expression on clinicopathologic features, pembrolizumab response, and prognosis in metastatic NSCLC patients. Methods: Thirty-six patients diagnosed with metastatic NSCLC without actionable driver mutation and who received pembrolizumab with or without chemotherapy were included in this study. PD-L1 and SPARC expression were evaluated, with PD-L1 expression categorized based on tumor proportion score and SPARC staining intensity graded as 1+, 2+, and 3 +. Patients’ characteristics were compared across groups, and possible predictive markers were determined by binary logistic regression analysis. Results: No significant associations were found between SPARC expression and smoking status, histopathological tumor type, T and N status, and liver and bone metastasis. Higher SPARC expression was significantly linked to lower brain metastasis rates but higher CNS progression rates (p = 0.022 and p = 0.011, respectively. The objective response rate (ORR) showed a trend of being higher in the SPARC 1 + group (85.7% vs. 43.8% and 50.0% in 2 + and 3 + groups, respectively, p = 0.052. Univariate analysis did not find SPARC expression to be a significant prognostic factor for progression-free survival (PFS) (p = 0.7) and overall survival (OS) (p = 0.07).SPARC 1 + expression negatively affected the pembrolizumab response(p = 0.04,OR:0.11, 95%CI 0.01–0.92). Conclusions: Our study sheds light on a novel aspect of SPARC expression as a potential predictor of pembrolizumab response and a marker for CNS progression in metastatic NSCLC patients treated in the first-line setting

Antiandrojen tedavisi altında oligo-progresyon gelişen metastatik kastrasyona dirençli prostat kanserli hastalarda metastaza yönelik vücut radyoterapisinin sağkalım etkisi

Objective: Androgen pathway inhibitors have a significant impact on the treatment of prostate cancer. The treatment approach is controversial in patients who develop oligo-pro-gression under anti-androgen therapy. This study aimed to in-vestigate the effects of metastasis-directed stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) on survival in the first-line setting of patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer who contin-ued the antiandrogen therapy after oligo-progression. Materials and Methods: Fifty-seven metastatic castration-re-sistant (serum testosterone <50 ng/dl) prostate cancer patients treated with abiraterone or enzalutamide in the first-line setting were analysed retrospectively. Thirty-nine of the patients with the oligo-progressive disease, which was defined as <= 3 lesions on imaging, received SBRT by continuing the same antiandro-gen therapy. Results: The median age was 70 (range 40-85). In the castra-tion-sensitive setting, 27 (47.4%) patients received docetaxel. The oligo-progressive metastatic sites were as follows: bone in 21 (52.3%), lymph node in 6 (15.3%) and visceral metastasis in 12 (30.9%) patients. Abiraterone and enzalutamide were preferred in 47.4% and 52.6% of patients, respectively. The 12-month pro-gression-free survival (PFS) was 79.0% and 88.9% in patients who received or did not receive SBRT (p<0.001). SBRT-related grade 1-2 toxicity was observed in 35 (61.4%) patients. SBRT was also an independent risk factor for PFS (p=0.007, HR:15.7; 95% CI 2.05-118.7). The presence of visceral metastases, isolated bone metastases, the choice of anti-androgen therapy, and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Scale Performance Status (ECOG PS) were not significantly associated with PFS. SBRT had no im-pact on overall survival. Conclusion: Patients treated with metastasis-directed SBRT without changing treatment in the oligo-progression setting had worse survival outcomes. Thus, metastasis-directed SBRT with continuation of the same antiandrogen therapy should be prior-itised only in selected cases.Amaç: Androjen yolağı inhibitörleri prostat kanserinin tedavisinde önemli etkiye sahiptir. Anti-androjen tedavisi altında oligo-progresyon gelişen hastalarda tedavi yaklaşımı tartışmalıdır. Bu çalışma, metastaza yönelik stereotaktik vücut radyoterapisinin (SBRT) oligo-ilerlemeden sonra antiandrojen tedavisine devam eden metastatik kastrasyona dirençli prostat kanserli hastalarda birinci basamakta sağkalım üzerindeki etkilerini araştırmayı amaçladı. Gereç ve yöntem: Birinci basamakta abirateron veya enzalutamid ile tedavi edilen 57 metastatik kastrasyon dirençli (serum testosteron <50 ng/dl) prostat kanseri hastası retrospektif olarak analiz edildi. Görüntülemede ≤3 lezyon olarak tanımlanan oligo-progresif hastalığı olan 39 hasta aynı antiandrojen tedavisine devam edilerek SBRT aldı. Bulgular: Medyan yaş 70 (dağılım 40-85) idi. Kastrasyona duyarlı ortamda, hastaların 27’si (%47,4) dosetaksel almıştır. Oligo-progresif metastatik bölgeler 21 (%52,3) hastada kemik, 6 (%15,3) hastada lenf nodu ve 12 (%30,9) hastada visseral metastaz olarak saptandı. Abirateron ve enzalutamid sırasıyla %47,4, %52,6hastada tercih edildi. SBRT alan ve almayan hastalarda 12 aylık progresyonsuz sağkalım (PFS) %79,0 ve %88,9 idi (p<0,001). Otuz beş (%61,4) hastada SBRT ile ilişkili derece 1-2 toksisite gözlendi. SBRT ayrıca PFS için bağımsız bir risk faktörüydü (p=0,007, HR:15,7; %95 GA 2,05-118,7). Visseral metastazlar, izole kemik metastazları, anti-androjen tedavi seçimi ve Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performans skalası varlığı, PFS ile istatistiksel olarak anlamlı değildi. SBRT’nin genel sağkalım üzerinde hiçbir etkisi olmamıştır. Sonuç: Oligo-progresyon durumunda tedaviyi değiştirmeden metastaza yönelik SBRT ile tedavi edilen hastalarda sağkalım sonuçları daha kötüydü. Bu nedenle, aynı antiandrojen tedavisine devam edilerek metastaza yönelik SBRT’ye sadece seçilmiş vakalarda öncelik verilmelidir

The effect of sildenafil on an animal model for ischemic colitis

WOS: 000255955700024PubMed: 17932755Introduction Sildenafil both enhances vasodilatation by relaxing the smooth muscle in the vessels and inhibits platelet aggregation. We have therefore examined the potential benefits of sildenafil on an animal model for ischemic colitis (IC). Methods Twenty-eight female Wistar albino rats weighing 250-300 g were randomized into three experimental groups as follows: in Group 1, animals were sham operated (n = 8) and received tap water; in Groups 2 and 3, the rats underwent a standardized surgical procedure to induce IC (n = 10 in each group). Group 2 animals served as the controls, receiving only tap water, while Group 3 animals received 10 mg/kg sildenafil per day as a single dose for a 3-day period. All animals were sacrificed 72 h after devascularization. To determine the severity of the ischemia, we scored the macroscopically visible damage, measured the ischemic area and scored the histopathology. Tissue malondialdehyde levels were also evaluated. Results The mean area of ischemic changes were 116.80 +/- 189.93 and 0.55 +/- 1.01 mm(2) in Group 2 and 3 animals, respectively (p = 0.0001), while the macroscopically mean visible damage score decreased to 0.66 +/- 0.70 (p = 0.0001) for Group 3 animals. The Chiu scores were 0.00, 3.80 +/- 0.91 and 2.66 +/- 1.00 in Group 1, 2 and 3 animals, respectively. There was a statistically significant difference between Group 2 and 3 animals (p = 0.017). Conclusions Our findings support the view that sildenafil leads to a improvement in IC due to its well-known effects on the vascular smooth muscle and on the microcirculatory hemodynamics