Linear colorings of simplicial complexes and collapsing

A vertex coloring of a simplicial complex $\Delta$ is called a linear coloring if it satisfies the property that for every pair of facets $(F_1, F_2)$ of $\Delta$, there exists no pair of vertices $(v_1, v_2)$ with the same color such that $v_1\in F_1\backslash F_2$ and $v_2\in F_2\backslash F_1$. We show that every simplicial complex $\Delta$ which is linearly colored with $k$ colors includes a subcomplex $\Delta'$ with $k$ vertices such that $\Delta'$ is a strong deformation retract of $\Delta$. We also prove that this deformation is a nonevasive reduction, in particular, a collapsing.Comment: 18 page

Effect of freezing techniques, extenders and cryoprotectants on the fertilization rate of frozen rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) sperm

Rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) sperm was frozen in liquid nitrogen in straws or as pellets on dry ice and stored in liquid nitrogen until artificial insemination. Sperm was diluted with one of three extenders containing 15% DMSO or 15% DMA as a cryoprotectant at a ratio of one part sperm to two parts extender. The straws were thawed in a water bath while the frozen pellets were thawed in their own extenders at 30oC for 30 s. For both freezing methods, the best fertil- ization results were obtained with extender III containing 15% DMSO, 52.3% (56.3% of the con- trol) for sperm frozen in straws and 48.4% (52.4% of the control) for sperm frozen as pellets. The interaction between extender and cryoprotectant was statistically significant (p<0.05)

Possible postsynaptic action of aminoglycosides in the frog rectus abdominis.

The present study was undertaken to investigate the postsynaptic effects of aminoglycosides on contractions evoked by acetylcholine (ACh), KCl, electrical field stimulation (EFS) and Na(+)- and Ca(2+)-free Ringer solution with 0.2 mM Na2 EDTA (NaFCaFR) in the isolated frog rectus abdominis. Neomycin inhibited contraction elicited by ACh, NaFCaFR, and EFS at the higher frequencies (8 and 10 Hz) but not those elicited by KCl and EFS at the lower frequencies (2, 3 and 5 Hz). D-tubocurarine inhibited ACh-induced contractions in a concentration-dependent manner. In addition, drug reduced EFS-evoked contractions to a limited extent. Lower concentrations (10(-5), 5 x 10(-5), 10(-4), 2 x 10(-4) and 3 x 10(-4) M) but not higher concentrations (4 x 10(-4) and 5 x 10(-4) M) of methoxyverapamil exhibited a concentration-dependent inhibitory action on NaFCaFR-induced contractions. Similar inhibitions of the same type of contraction were displayed by aminoglycosides (neomycin, streptomycin, netilmycin, gentamycin and amikacin). These results suggest that in addition to their antagonistic action on nicotinic receptors in the frog rectus abdominis, aminoglycosides may exert stabilizing effects on some functional components contributing to contractions at the membrane.</p

TASL practice guidance on the clinical assessment and management of patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a multisystem disease and is significantly associated with obesity, insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes mellitus, metabolic syndrome, and cardiovascular disease. NAFLD has become the most prevalent chronic liver disease in Western countries, and the proportion of NAFLD-related cirrhosis among patients on liver transplantation waiting lists has increased. In light of the accumulated data about NAFLD, and to provide a common approach with multi-disciplines dealing with the subject, it has become necessary to create new guidance for diagnosing and treating NAFLD. This guidance was prepared following an interdisciplinary study under the leadership of the Turkish Association for the Study of the Liver (TASL), Fatty Liver Special Interest Group. This new TASL Guidance is a practical application guide on NAFLD and was prepared to standardize the clinical approach to diagnosing and treating NAFLD patients. This guidance reflects many advances in the field of NAFLD. The proposals in this guidance are meant to aid decision-making in clinical practice. The guidance is primar-ily intended for gastroenterology, endocrinology, metabolism diseases, cardi-ology, internal medicine, pediatric specialists, and family medicine specialists

First-line treatment of patients with HER2-positive metastatic gastric and gastroesophageal junction cancer

Fluoropyrimidine+cisplatin/oxaliplatin+trastuzumab therapy is recommended for the first-line treatment of HER2-positive metastatic gastric adenocarcinoma. However, there is no comprehensive study on which platinum-based treatment should be preferred. This study aimed to compare the treatment response and survival characteristics of patients with HER2-positive metastatic gastric or gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) cancer who received fluorouracil, oxaliplatin, and leucovorin (mFOLFOX)+trastuzumab or cisplatin and fluorouracil (CF)+trastuzumab as first-line therapy. It was a multicenter, retrospective study of the Turkish Oncology Group, which included 243 patients from 21 oncology centers. There were 113 patients in the mFOLFOX+trastuzumab arm and 130 patients in the CF+trastuzumab arm. The median age was 62 years in the mFOLFOX+trastuzumab arm and 61 years in the CF+trastuzumab arm (P = 0.495). 81.4% of patients in the mFOLFOX+trastuzumab arm and 83.1% in the CF+trastuzumab arm had gastric tumor localization (P = 0.735). The median progression-free survival (PFS) was significantly higher in the mFOLFOX+trastuzumab arm (9.4 months vs. 7.3 months, P = 0.024). The median overall survival (OS) was similar in both groups (18.4 months vs. 15.1 months, P = 0.640). Maintenance trastuzumab was continued after chemotherapy in 101 patients. In this subgroup, the median OS was 23.3 months and the median PFS was 13.3 months. In conclusion, mFOLFOX+trastuzumab is similar to CF+trastuzumab in terms of the median OS, but it is more effective in terms of the median PFS in the first-line treatment of HER2-positive metastatic gastric and GEJ cancer. The choice of treatment should be made by considering the prominent toxicity findings of the chemotherapy regimens

Liver cirrhosis and nitric oxide

Liver cirrhosis is a clinical condition which appears due to various etiologies and basically contains diffuse fibrozis and nodularity. Portal hypertension frequently accompanies this condition and constitutes the complications with negative effects concerning patients mortality and morbidity. For this reason, understanding the pathophysiologies of cirrhosis and portal hypertension is essential for the supplementation of new treatment options. In this review, the role of nitric oxide in the pathophysiologies of fibrosis, cirrhosis and portal hypertension has been discussed. [Archives Medical Review Journal 2009; 18(2.000): 91-131

Ethics in Animal Experimentation

Experimental animals are frequently used to obtain information for primarily scientific reasons. In the present review, ethics in animal experimentation is examined. At first, the history of animal experimentation and animal rights is outlined. Thereafter, the terms in relation with the topic are defined. Finally, prominent aspects of 3Rs constituting scientific and ethical basis in animal experimentation are underlined. [Archives Medical Review Journal 2010; 19(4.000): 220-235

Cryopreservation Of Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus Mykiss) Semen

Rainbow trout semen was diluted in one of three extenders (1:3 v/v) containing egg yolk (7-10%) and 10% DMSO as cryoprotectants. The diluted semen was packaged in 0.5 ml straws and frozen in liquid nitrogen (LN2) vapor. For thawing, the straws were immersed in a water bath for 30 sec at 30°C. The best post-thaw motility and fertilization results, 56.67±5.77% and 80.5±16.01% respectively, were obtained when a glucose based extender was used

Correlation Between Biochemical And Spermatological Parameters In Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus Mykiss) Semen

Levels of biochemical parameters in seminal plasma and physical parameters of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) semen were determined and compared. Seminal plasma contained 80.51±31.48 mmol/l Na+, 46.21±12.58 mmol/l K+, 4.65±1.57 mg/dl Ca2+, 3.48±1.18 mEq/l Mg2+, 112.5±25.93 mmol/l Cl-, 1.33±0.76 mg/dl glucose, 0.15±0.09 g/dl protein, 2.55±2.47 mg/dl cho- lesterol, 8.0±2.84 mg/dl triglyceride, and 31.65±40.78 mg/dl urea. Semen volume was 19.9±21.43 ml, spermatozoa motility 60.0±30.09%, duration of spermatozoa movement 174.0±1.82 s, spermatozoa concentration 1.52±0.70 x 109/ml, total spermatozoa number 44.25±64.59 x 109, and pH 6.7±0.25. There were significant positive correlations between semen volume and Na+ (r = 0.667, p<0.05), total spermatozoa number and semen volume (r = 0.977, p<0.01), total spermatozoa number and spermatozoa concentration (r = 0.652, p<0.05), Na+ and Cl- (r = 0.733, p<0.05), Na+ and triglyceride (r = 0.632, p<0.05), K+ and protein (r = 0.728, p<0.05), and Ca2+ and protein (r = 0.685, p<0.05). Significant negative correlations were found between Cl- and glucose (r = - 1.00, p<0.05), and triglyceride and urea (r = -0.716, p<0.05). Consequently, although there were no definite correlations between biochemical and spermatological parameters, it was observed that a higher Na+ content has a positive effect on semen volume

Validity and efficacy of office hysteroscopy before in vitro fertilization treatment

Office hysteroscopy (OH) allows assessment of the uterine cavity. The aim of this study is to investigate uterine cavity of infertile patients with OH, to treat pathologies and to measure the impact of OH on live birth rates and IVF treatment costs