Can we use the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio, and mean platelet volume values for the diagnosis of anterior uveitis in patients with Behcet’s disease?

Atil Avci,1 Deniz Avci,2 Fatma Erden,3 Ertas Ragip,1 Ali Cetinkaya,2 Kemal Ozyurt,1 Mustafa Atasoy1 1Department of Dermatology and Venereology, Kayseri Training and Research Hospital, Kayseri, Turkey; 2Internal Medicine Department, Kayseri Training and Research Hospital, Kayseri, Turkey; 3Department of Dermatology and Venereology, Cubuk State Hospital, Ankara, Turkey Introduction: The purpose of this study was to compare the value of hematological parameters, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), and mean platelet volume (MPV), as indicators of anterior uveal segment involvement in patients with Behcet’s disease (BD). Patients and methods: Hospital-based records of a total of 912 patients with BD from the dermatology clinic and healthy volunteers from the checkup clinic were assessed retrospectively. After applying the exclusion criteria of the study, 71 of the BD patients with anterior uveitis, 69 of the BD patients without ophthalmological pathology and 151 healthy volunteers were included in the study. MPV, PLR, and NLR values of patients and healthy volunteers were compared. Results: All MPV, PLR, and NLR values of patients who had anterior uveitis were significantly higher than those of other patients and healthy volunteers. Statistically, considering area under curves (ratio): NLR was 0.725 (0.653–0.797), P<0.001; PLR was 0.600 (0.523–0.676), P=0.012, and MPV was 0.358 (0.279–0.437), P<0.001. Conclusion: MPV, PLR, and NLR are all valuable for assessment of anterior uveal segment involvement in patients with BD. However, the NLR seems to be better than the PLR and MPV for indicating anterior uveitis due to BD. Keywords: Behcet’s disease, NLR, PLR, MPV, uveitis&nbsp

Reliability of the Turkish version of the European Obstructive Sleep Apnea Screening (EUROSAS) questionnaire for drivers

Purpose: The European Union Driver License Committee recently developed a questionnaire as a screening tool for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) named the European Obstructive Sleep Apnea Screening (EUROSAS) questionnaire for drivers. We sought to address the reliability of the Turkish version of this questionnaire. Methods: The EUROSAS was translated into Turkish. Using a “test-retest approach”, data were collected twice with a 15-day interval among 150 participants (50 professional male drivers [PMD], 50 non-professional male drivers [NPMD], and 50 non-professional female drivers [NPFD]). The EUROSAS score ranges between 2 and 25, with scores ≥ 10 suggesting the presence of OSA. Results: The median EUROSAS scores in the first test were 8.0 (interquartile range [IQR] 6.8–12.0) in PMD, 8.0 (IQR 6.0–11.0) in NPMD, and 5.0 (IQR 4.0–8.0) in NPFD (p < 0.001). Corresponding values in the retest were 9.5 (IQR 7.0–13.0), 8.0 (IQR 6.0–10.0), and 5.0 (IQR 4.0–8.0), respectively (p < 0.001). The EUROSAS score ≥ 10 was found among 34% in the first test and 50% in the retest in PMD (ns), 34% vs 24% in NPMD (ns), and 8% vs 16% in NPFD (ns). There was a positive correlation between the tests (r = 0.864, p < 0.001), and Cronbach’s alpha value for the whole group was 0.477 (0.514 for PMD, 0.512 for NPMD, and 0.543 NPFD, respectively). Conclusions: The EUROSAS–Turkish version is easy to understand and is reproducible. However, the test-retest reliability level is poor among the Turkish drivers. Further validation of the questionnaire by objective sleep studies and fitness-to-drive testing is necessary

Using cell banks as a tool in conservation programmes of native domestic breeds: the production of the first cloned Anatolian Grey cattle

The aim of this study was to clone native Anatolian Grey cattle by using different donor cell types, such as fibroblast, cartilage and granulosa cells cryopreserved in a gene bank and oocytes aspirated from ovaries of Holstein cows as the recipient cytoplasm source. One male calf from fibroblast, three female calves from granulosa cells and one female calf from cartilage cells were born healthy and at normal birthweights. No calves were lost after birth. The results demonstrated that the cloned calves had the same microsatellite alleles at 11 loci as their nuclear donors. However, the mtDNAs of the five Anatolian Grey cloned calves had different haplotypes from their donor cells and mtDNA heteroplasmy could not be detected in any of the clones. The birth of healthy clones suggests that the haplotype difference between the cell and oocyte donor did not affect the pre- or post-implantation development of the bovine nuclear transfer derived embryos in our study. The results showed that well established nuclear transfer protocols could be useful in conserving endangered species. In conclusion, somatic cell banking can be suggested as a tool in conservation programmes of animal genetic resources