Fat, Fatty Acids and Tocopherol Content of Several Walnut Genotypes

There are seed propagated walnut (Juglans regia L.) populations with the vast genetic variation in different part of Turkey. There are also lots of monoecious and dichogamous genotypes in Turkey due to continuing sexual propagation. In this study, fruits of 19 selected walnut genotypes grown in Kahramanmaraş region were characterized based on their fat, fatty acid and tocopherol contents. The fatty acids content of genotypes were analyzed using Gas Chromatography. Tocopherol analyses such as alpha (α)-Tocopherol, gamma (γ) and beta (β) + delta (δ) were performed by HPLC technique. According to the total fat and fatty acid results, there were differences among genotypes on most of the fatty acids. Total fat ranged from 51.2 to 82.1%, stearic acid from 2.57 to 3.37%, myristic acid from 0.00 to 0.05%, palmitic acid from 6.42 to 7.92%, arachidic acid from 0.00 to 0.16%, linoleic acid from 53.23 to 63.62%, linolenic acid from 10.75 to 15.24%, oleic acid from 14.73 to 24.17% and palmitoleic acid from 0.00 to 0.16%, respectively. The same genotypes were evaluated based on their tocopherol content and (α)-Tocopherol, gamma (γ) and beta (β) + delta (δ) tocopherol were found between 23.47 and 38.04 μg/g, 161.09 and 292.56 μg/g and 16.93 and 32.34 μg/g, respectively

Četverogodišnja studija učinkovitosti i sigurnosti entekavira u bolesnika s kroničnim hepatitisom B pozitivnih na HBeAg bez prethodne nukleoz(t)idne terapije

Entecavir is a guanosine analogue with activity against hepatitis B virus. The aim of this 4-year trial was to evaluate entecavir treatment in nucleos(t)ide-naive HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B patients. Forty-nine patients received entecavir and nine of them withdrew from the trial at the end of week 96. The initial mean value of alanine aminotransferase was 79.4}41.5 IU /L, and at the end of the 4-year study period, 90% of patients had alanine aminotransferase values within the normal range. At week 96, 91.7% of patients had HBV DNA <300 copies; at month 48, 90% of patients had HBV DNA <50 IU /mL. HBeAg loss was recorded in 7.1% of patients at week 96 and in 12.5% at month 48. The rate of HBeAg seroconversion was 4.8% at week 96 and 7.5% at month 48. The rate of HBsAg seroconversion was 2.1% at week 96 and 2.5% at month 48. Entecavir as a potent and safe agent leading to continuous viral suppression proved to be safe and well tolerated therapy.Entekavir je analog gvanozina koji djeluje protiv virusa hepatitisa B. Cilj ove četverogodišnje studije bio je procijeniti liječenje entekavirom kod bolesnika s kroničnim hepatitisom B pozitivnih na HBeAg bez prethodne nukleoz(t)idne terapije. Ukupno je 49 bolesnika primalo entekavir, a devetoro ih se povuklo s terapije na kraju 96. tjedna. Početna srednja vrijednost alanin aminotransferaze bila 79,4}41,5 IU /L, dok je nakon 4 godine vrijednost alanin aminotransferaze bila u normalnim granicama kod 90% bolesnika. U 96. tjednu je <300 kopija HBV DNA zabilježeno u 91,7% bolesnika, a u 48. mjesecu je 48,90% bolesnika imalo <50 IJ/mL HBV DNA. Gubitak HBeAg zabilježen je u 7,1% bolesnika u 96. tjednu te u 12,5% bolesnika u 48. mjesecu. Stopa serokonverzije HBeAg iznosila je 4,8% u 96. tjednu i 7,5% u 48. mjesecu. Stopa serokonverzije HBsAg bila je 2,1% u 96. tjednu i 2,5% u 48. mjesecu. Sigurnost terapije bila je dobra. Bolesnici su dobro podnosili entekavir, snažan i siguran lijek koji dovodi do ustaljenog suzbijanja virusa

Četverogodišnja studija učinkovitosti i sigurnosti entekavira u bolesnika s kroničnim hepatitisom B pozitivnih na HBeAg bez prethodne nukleoz(t)idne terapije

Entecavir is a guanosine analogue with activity against hepatitis B virus. The aim of this 4-year trial was to evaluate entecavir treatment in nucleos(t)ide-naive HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B patients. Forty-nine patients received entecavir and nine of them withdrew from the trial at the end of week 96. The initial mean value of alanine aminotransferase was 79.4}41.5 IU /L, and at the end of the 4-year study period, 90% of patients had alanine aminotransferase values within the normal range. At week 96, 91.7% of patients had HBV DNA <300 copies; at month 48, 90% of patients had HBV DNA <50 IU /mL. HBeAg loss was recorded in 7.1% of patients at week 96 and in 12.5% at month 48. The rate of HBeAg seroconversion was 4.8% at week 96 and 7.5% at month 48. The rate of HBsAg seroconversion was 2.1% at week 96 and 2.5% at month 48. Entecavir as a potent and safe agent leading to continuous viral suppression proved to be safe and well tolerated therapy.Entekavir je analog gvanozina koji djeluje protiv virusa hepatitisa B. Cilj ove četverogodišnje studije bio je procijeniti liječenje entekavirom kod bolesnika s kroničnim hepatitisom B pozitivnih na HBeAg bez prethodne nukleoz(t)idne terapije. Ukupno je 49 bolesnika primalo entekavir, a devetoro ih se povuklo s terapije na kraju 96. tjedna. Početna srednja vrijednost alanin aminotransferaze bila 79,4}41,5 IU /L, dok je nakon 4 godine vrijednost alanin aminotransferaze bila u normalnim granicama kod 90% bolesnika. U 96. tjednu je <300 kopija HBV DNA zabilježeno u 91,7% bolesnika, a u 48. mjesecu je 48,90% bolesnika imalo <50 IJ/mL HBV DNA. Gubitak HBeAg zabilježen je u 7,1% bolesnika u 96. tjednu te u 12,5% bolesnika u 48. mjesecu. Stopa serokonverzije HBeAg iznosila je 4,8% u 96. tjednu i 7,5% u 48. mjesecu. Stopa serokonverzije HBsAg bila je 2,1% u 96. tjednu i 2,5% u 48. mjesecu. Sigurnost terapije bila je dobra. Bolesnici su dobro podnosili entekavir, snažan i siguran lijek koji dovodi do ustaljenog suzbijanja virusa

Diffusion-Weighted Imaging for the Discrimination of Benign and Malignant Breast Masses; Utility of ADC and Relative ADC

Purpose: To determine the contribution of apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), and relative ADC (rADC) values to differentiate between benign and malignant breast masses. Materials and Methods: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the breast with diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) of patients with benign or malignant breast masses diagnosed either by histopathological findings or by follow-up imaging were evaluated retrospectively. Histopathological analyses were performed for 71 lesions (80.7%) while the remaining were followed up every six months for one year. DWI was performed using b-values of 0 and 1000 sec/mm2, and ADC and rADC were calculated and compared. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and Youden index were used to evaluate the parameter’s optimal threshold and diagnostic value. Statistical significance was set as p < 0.05. Results: Eighty-eight lesions from a total of 81 patients, aged between 16 and 73 (mean age 42 ± 11.3) years were obtained and evaluated. Pathological results of 34 (38.6%) out of 71 lesions were malignant and 37 lesions (42%) were benign. Seventeen (19.3%) lesions remained stable at one-year follow-up and were accepted as benign breast masses. Mean ADC values of benign and malignant lesions were 1.584 × 10–3mm2/sec and 0.884 x 10–3mm2/sec (p < 0.05), respectively. Sensitivity and specificity of ADC were 88% and 87%, respectively at a cut-off value of 1.04 x 10–3mm2/sec. Mean rADC was 0.931 for benign lesions and 0.557 for malignant lesions (p < 0.05). Sensitivity and specificity were 82% and 83% at a cut-off value of 0.639. No prominent superiority of rADC over ADC is identified in the differentiation of breast masses. Conclusion: ADC and rADC values derived from DWI can be equally useful in clinical setting to differentiate benign from malignant breast masses

Evaluation of nutritional status in pediatric intensive care unit patients: the results of a multicenter, prospective study in Turkey

IntroductionMalnutrition is defined as a pathological condition arising from deficient or imbalanced intake of nutritional elements. Factors such as increasing metabolic demands during the disease course in the hospitalized patients and inadequate calorie intake increase the risk of malnutrition. The aim of the present study is to evaluate nutritional status of patients admitted to pediatric intensive care units (PICU) in Turkey, examine the effect of nutrition on the treatment process and draw attention to the need for regulating nutritional support of patients while continuing existing therapies.Material and MethodIn this prospective multicenter study, the data was collected over a period of one month from PICUs participating in the PICU Nutrition Study Group in Turkey. Anthropometric data of the patients, calorie intake, 90-day mortality, need for mechanical ventilation, length of hospital stay and length of stay in intensive care unit were recorded and the relationship between these parameters was examined.ResultsOf the 614 patients included in the study, malnutrition was detected in 45.4% of the patients. Enteral feeding was initiated in 40.6% (n = 249) of the patients at day one upon admission to the intensive care unit. In the first 48 h, 86.82% (n = 533) of the patients achieved the target calorie intake, and 81.65% (n = 307) of the 376 patients remaining in the intensive care unit achieved the target calorie intake at the end of one week. The risk of mortality decreased with increasing upper mid-arm circumference and triceps skin fold thickness Z-score (OR = 0.871/0.894; p = 0.027/0.024). The risk of mortality was 2.723 times higher in patients who did not achieve the target calorie intake at first 48 h (p = 0.006) and the risk was 3.829 times higher in patients who did not achieve the target calorie intake at the end of one week (p = 0.001). The risk of mortality decreased with increasing triceps skin fold thickness Z-score (OR = 0.894; p = 0.024).ConclusionTimely and appropriate nutritional support in critically ill patients favorably affects the clinical course. The results of the present study suggest that mortality rate is higher in patients who fail to achieve the target calorie intake at first 48 h and day seven of admission to the intensive care unit. The risk of mortality decreases with increasing triceps skin fold thickness Z-score

16S rRNA sequencing

&lt;p&gt;TUBITAK 1001 (Project no 119S463)&lt;/p&gt

Decreased Oxidative Stress Markers in Patients with Active and Generalized Vitiligo

Objective: Oxidative stress has been shown to play a role in the pathophysiology of several diseases, making it a popular yet contentious research area. There is some evidence that selective melanocyte destruction may have developed in vitiligo patients as a result of elevated oxidative stress. The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of oxidative stress on lipid, protein, and nucleic acid metabolism in vitiligo patients. Methods: We used ELISA method to measure serum oxidative stress markers in patients with generalized vitiligo who had newly formed lesions in the previous three months but had not been treated, as well as healthy controls. Malondialdehyde (MDA), 2,4-dinitrophenyl hydrazone (DNPH), 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), and uncoupling protein 2 (UCP2) levels were measured to assess the influence of reactive oxygen derivatives on lipid, protein, nucleic acid metabolism, and mitochondria, respectively. Results: The study included 84 participants, including 64 active generalized vitiligo patients and 20 healthy controls with similar age and gender distribution. In the serum of vitiligo patients, we detected significantly lower levels of MDA (ng/mL, mean +/- SD=12 +/- 19; 33.4 +/- 35.9), DNPH (ng/mL, mean +/- SD=2 +/- 3.1; 6 +/- 7.4), 8-OHdG (ng/mL, mean +/- SD=11.7 +/- 17.9; 32.7 +/- 37) and UCP2 (ng/mL, mean +/- SD=8.7 +/- 13.7; 21.5 +/- 28.4. Conclusions: Although there is significant evidence that oxidative stress plays a role in the pathophysiology of vitiligo, the studies should be interpreted cautiously due to the heterogeneity in the methodology, complexity of the oxidative stress pathways, and potential publication bias. Large-scale studies using a standardized methodology are required to determine how significant oxidative stress is in the core pathophysiology of vitiligo and which pathways it primarily affects

Measurement of the placental total antioxidant status in preeclamptic women using a novel automated method

Aim

Paraoxonase-1 Polymorphisms (L55M/Q192R) and Activities (PONase/AREase) in Patients with Idiopathic Recurrent Early Pregnancy Loss: A Preliminary Study

Aim: To evaluate the associations between idiopathic recurrent early pregnancy loss (REPL) and paraoxonase-1 (PON1) polymorphisms and the activities of its encoded enzymes. Materials and Methods: Ninety-eight women were enrolled in this study, including 21 currently pregnant multiparous women without a history of miscarriage; 18 multiparous women who were not pregnant during the study; 30 women with a history of idiopathic REPL who were pregnant; and 29 who were not. Paraoxonase (PONase) and arylesterase (AREase) activities, two activities of the PON1 enzyme, were measured through commercially available kits (Relassay, Gaziantep, Turkey). PON1 genotypes were determined by polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) analysis. Data were analyzed using SPSS for Windows version 19.0 (SPSS). Results: There was no association between idiopathic REPL and PON1 polymorphisms or PONase activity. The AREase activity of the PON1 enzyme trended higher in the healthy pregnant group than in the healthy nonpregnant group (p = 0.067), and was higher in the pregnant group with a history of idiopathic REPL than in the nonpregnant group with a history of idiopathic REPL (p = 0.041). Conclusions: Despite there being no detected association between PON1 activities or genotype and idiopathic REPL, we showed that AREase activity increased during early gestation. New studies, including longitudinal changes in serum AREase activity throughout normal pregnancy, should be carried out to further evaluate the association between PON encoded enzymatic activities and early gestational pathophysiology