Intelligent data analysis to interpret major risk factors for diabetic patients with and without ischemic stroke in a small population

This study proposes an intelligent data analysis approach to investigate and interpret the distinctive factors of diabetes mellitus patients with and without ischemic (non-embolic type) stroke in a small population. The database consists of a total of 16 features collected from 44 diabetic patients. Features include age, gender, duration of diabetes, cholesterol, high density lipoprotein, triglyceride levels, neuropathy, nephropathy, retinopathy, peripheral vascular disease, myocardial infarction rate, glucose level, medication and blood pressure. Metric and non-metric features are distinguished. First, the mean and covariance of the data are estimated and the correlated components are observed. Second, major components are extracted by principal component analysis. Finally, as common examples of local and global classification approach, a k-nearest neighbor and a high-degree polynomial classifier such as multilayer perceptron are employed for classification with all the components and major components case. Macrovascular changes emerged as the principal distinctive factors of ischemic-stroke in diabetes mellitus. Microvascular changes were generally ineffective discriminators. Recommendations were made according to the rules of evidence-based medicine. Briefly, this case study, based on a small population, supports theories of stroke in diabetes mellitus patients and also concludes that the use of intelligent data analysis improves personalized preventive intervention

Effects of light and temperature on the growth rate of potentially harmful marine diatom: Thalassiosira allenii Takano (Bacillariophyceae)

Thalassiosira allenii is a potentially harmful marine diatom distributed along the Northern Aegean and Southern Black Sea coasts of Turkey. In order to better understand the effect of environmental factorson T. allenii, the effects of 6 different light intensities (6.5, 38.7, 77.5, 116.2, 15 and 193.7 mmol/m2s (PAR)) and 4 different temperatures (4, 11, 16 and 20°C) were investigated. T. allenii was isolated fromzmir Bay-Northern Aegean Sea-Turkey and incubated in a f/2 enrichment medium under constant light in a batch culture system. The growth rate of the species was measured as Chl a (mg/l) by monitoring the exponential growth phase. The statistical analysis of the obtained data was performed by utilizing the method of least squares. As a result of the study, the light intensities of 0.8, 3.6, 13.4 and 26.4 mmol/m2s were found to be saturation light intensities for 4, 11, 16 and 20°C, respectively whereas alight intensity of 6.5 mmol/m2s was determined to be the compensation light intensity at 20°C. The temperatures below 11°C were detected to limit the maximum growth rate (mmax). Under saturated light conditions between the temperatures 20 - 11°C the algae maintained its mmax parameter while it reduced its half-saturation constant KL and exhibited a shift from sun to shade type. It was concluded that the light intensity is more effective compared to temperature in excessive reproduction of the algae in its natural environment

Učinak nedostatka epidermalnog faktora rasta na gingivalni epitel štakora.

Epidermal growth factor (EGF) is a low molecular mass polypeptide with 53 amino acids and is known to stimulate cell proliferation and differentiation in a wide range of tissues. EGF is thought to have important functions in epithelial growth and differentiation and in wound healing. In the present study, the teratogenic effects of sialoadenectomy on rat gingival epithelia were investigated histologically. Twenty adult female Wistar albino rats were divided into two groups (N = 10), a control and an experimental group. The experimental group was subjected to sialoadenectomy in order to create EGF deficiency. After 60 days of sialoadenectomy (EGF deficiency), control group rats were killed using pentobarbital and their maxilla removed. The sections were stained with haematoxylineosin and Mason triple for evaluation by using a light microscope. A statistically significant reduction in body mass was noted in rats in the experimental group when compared to the control group. Decreasing the thickness of keratization layer, irregularity and disappearance of microscopic papilla, intraepithelial focal cystic lesions resulting from EGF deficiency, and a decrease in saliva, were noted. As a result, epidermal growth factor deficiency performed by sialoadenectomy caused body mass reduction and gingival epithelia abnormalities.Epidermalni faktor rasta jest niskomolekularni peptid, koji se sastoji od 53 aminokiseline, odgovoran za proliferaciju i diferencijaciju stanica različitih tkiva, a poznato je da ima i važnu ulogu u cijeljenju rana. U ovom istraživanju teratogeni učinak sijaloadenektomije istražen je na štakorima, i to praćenjem tjelesne mase i promjenama na gingivalnom epitelu. Dvadeset albino Wistar štakora svrstano je u dvije skupine po 10 životinja, pokusnu na kojoj je provedena sijaloadenektomija i na kontrolnu. Šestdesetog dana nakon sijaloadenektomije štakori su eutanazirani pentobarbitalom, nakon čega su im uklonjene maksile. Daljnji je postupak proveden bojenjem histoloških rezova gingivalnog epitela hematoksilin-eozinom te metodom bojanja po Masonu. U štakora pokusne skupine utvrđeno je statistički značajno smanjenje tjelesne mase u odnosu na kontrolnu. Kao rezultat deficita faktora rasta utvrđeno je smanjenje debljine keratinizirajućeg sloja, nepravilnost i odsutnost papila, intraepitelne žarišne cistične lezije i smanjena količina sline

The outcome of non-carbapenem-based empirical antibacterial therapy and VRE colonisation in patients with hematological malignancies

Background: Febrile neutropenia (FN) is generally a complication of cancer chemotherapy. Objective: We retrospectively evaluated the febrile neutropenia episodes and their outcomes with respect to modification rates of non-carbapenem-based empirical antibacterial therapy and vancomycin-resistant enterococcus (VRE) colonisation that caused to VRE bacteremia in patients with hematological malignancies. Methods: All consecutive patients, who were older than 14 years of age and developed febrile neutropenia episodes due to hematological malignancies from September 2010 to November 2011 at the hematology department were included into the study. Results: In total, 86 consecutive neutropenic patients and their 151 febrile episodes were evaluated. The mean MASCC prognostic index score was 18,72 ± 9,43. Among 86 patients, 28 patients experienced a total of 30 bacteremia episodes of bacterial origin. Modification rates of both, empirical monotherapy and combination therapies, were found similar, statistically (P =0,840). Conclusion: Our results suggest that initiating of non-carbapenem based therapy does not provide high response rates in the treatment of febrile neutropenia attacks. Furthermore, non-carbapenem-based empirical therapy provides benefit in regard to cost-effectiveness and antimicrobial stewardship when local antibiotic resistance patterns of gram-negative bacteria are considered. Patients who are colonized with VRE are more likely to develop bacteremia with VRE strains as a result of invasive procedures and severe damage of mucosal barriers observed in this group of patients

Yr10 gene polymorphism in bread wheat varieties

Yellow rust resistance locus Yr10 located on chromosome 1B in Moro and originated from the Turkish line PI178383 was investigated in terms of polymorphism in seven winter type bread wheat cvs.(Triticum aestivum ssp. Aestivum) Altay2000, zgi2001, Sönmez2001 (yellow rust resistant), Aytýn98, ES14, Harmankaya99 (yellow rust susceptible) and PI178383 as control. Exon 1 (1 - 833 bp) and Exon 2 (1989 - 3630 bp) parts of Yr10 were amplified with three primers. Amplification was not observed with E2A primers in Harmankaya99, zgi2001 and Sönmez2001 cvs, while amplification products were observable at all tested varieties with the other primers. PCR results showed that E2A reverse primer is not able to anneal to the three varieties mentioned above. Sequence analysis and bioinformaticsanalysis proved that there has been single nucleotide changes especially in the second exon. The most similar sequences to the first exon of Harmankaya99, zgi01 and Sönmez2001 are AF509535 (Aegilops tauschii NBS-LRR-like gene), AF509534 (A. tauschii NBS-LRR-like gene sequence) and AF509534, respectively. These results could be helpful in revealing divergence between resistant and susceptible varieties