Collision sellar lesions: experience with eight cases and review of the literature

The concomitant presence of a pituitary adenoma with a second sellar lesion in patients operated upon for pituitary adenoma is an uncommon entity. Although rare, quite a great variety of lesions have been indentified coexisting with pituitary adenomas. In fact, most combinations have been described before, but an overview with information on the frequency of combined pathologies in a large series has not been published. We present a series of eight collision sellar lesions indentified among 548 transsphenoidally resected pituitary adenomas in two Neurosurgical Departments. The histological studies confirmed a case of sarcoidosis within a non-functioning pituitary adenoma, a case of intrasellar schwannoma coexisting with growth hormone (GH) secreting adenoma, two Rathke’s cleft cysts combined with pituitary adenomas, three gangliocytomas associated with GH-secreting adenomas, and a case of a double pituitary adenoma. The pertinent literature is discussed with emphasis on pathogenetic theories of dual sellar lesions. Although there is no direct evidence to confirm the pathogenetic relationship of collision sellar lesions, the number of cases presented in literature makes the theory of an incidental occurrence rather doubtful. Suggested hypotheses about a common embryonic origin or a potential interaction between pituitary adenomas and the immune system are presented

Scorzonera ahmet-duranii sp. nov. (Asteraceae) from southwest Anatolia, and its phylogenetic position

Scorzonera ahmet-duranii S. Makbul & Coskuncelebi sp. nov. (Asteraceae) is described and illustrated as a new species endemic to Turkey. It is morphologically similar to S. semicana DC., but differs by its rootstock, deeply undulating basal leaves and glabrous achenes. Additionally, the size and micro-morphological properties of achenes and some anatomical traits of the leaf and stem are helpful in distinguishing these closely related taxa. A phylogenetic analysis based on nrDNA ITS sequence data showed that S. semicana is the sister species of the new taxon presented in this study. © 2012 The Authors

Mechanical behavior of hulled peanut and its kernel during the shelling process

The rupture resistance of both hulled peanut and its kernel were examined in terms of average rupture force, deformation, firmness and toughness. Samples at various moisture contents and sizes were compressed at three loading positions (longitudinal, parallel to split plane and perpendicular to split plane). The compressive force needed to rupture for the hulled peanut and the kernel decreased with an increase in moisture content as the deformation at rupture point increased. Moreover, firmness increased and toughness decreased when moisture content increased. Larger size hulled peanut and kernel had higher rupture force and firmness values. For toughness, the trend was opposite. The highest values of firmness and toughness were measured at perpendicular loading position to the split plane. The over all average values of rupture force, deformation, firmness and toughness for hulled peanut and kernel when the samples were compressed, in relation to the over all range of moisture content, size and loading position, were determined as 87.58 and 47.45 N, 2.16 and 1.46 mm, 46.80 and 49.40 N mm -1, 0.018 and 0.024 mJ mm -3, respectively

Febril konvülsiyonda serum çinko düzeyleri: Eksiklik gerçekten bir risk faktörü müdür?]

Objective: Pathogenesis of febrile seizures is still unknown, despite it is the most common type of seizures and one of the leading neurologic disorders of childhood. Trace elements and especially zinc deficiency is suggested to be the trigger factor for convulsions. In the present study, we aim to determine the possible relationship between zinc and febrile seizures. Material and Methods: 60 patients are included as study group, aged between 3 months and 5 years old and with febrile seizures. In first control group, 30 patients with fever but no convulsions aged between 3 months and 5 years old are choosen. In second control group, 30 patients with no health problems are choosen. Serum zinc levels are determined in first 12 hours after admission. Data are evaluated with SPSS 10.0 programme. Results: Mean zinc levels of patients with febrile seizures was found 153.43±47.92 mg/dL, and mean zinc levels of 1. control group and 2. control group was found 108.93±33.91 mg/dL and 121.4±53.29 mg/dL respectively. Mean serum zinc levels of the study group was found statistically higher from both of the control groups. There was no relationship between serum zinc levels and age, gender, weight, temperature level, number and etiology of convulsions and family history. Conclusion: We found no relationship between serum zinc levels and febril seizure, despite the previous studies. Copyright © 2012 by Türkiye Klinikleri

Güney anadolu, Türkiye'den yeni bir Scorzonera (Asteraceae) türü ve moleküler verilere dayalı taksonomik durumu

Scorzonera zorkunensis Coskuncelebi & S.Makbul (Asteraceae) is described and illustrated from Turkey. It grows on serpentine in alpine steppe vegetation together with several endemic Scorzonera L. species in southern Anatolia at altitudes of 2075-2100 m. It is morphologically similar to S. pisidica Hub.-Mor., but it differs in its habit and stem and leaf pubescence. Additionally, the size and micromorphological characters of the achenes and some anatomical traits of the leaves, stems, and roots are helpful in distinguishing these closely related taxa. The phylogenetic analyses based on nrDNA ITS sequence data indicate that S. pisidica is a sister species of the new taxon. © TÜBİTAK

Yeast vaginitis during pregnancy: Susceptibility testing of 13 antifungal drugs and boric acid and the detection of four virulence factors

PubMedID: 22369624A higher prevalence of vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) is seen in pregnant women compared with those who are not pregnant. Recurrence is also more common in pregnant women, and therapeutic responses are reduced. In this investigation, 207 vaginal yeast isolates recovered from pregnant women were tested for susceptibility to 13 antifungal drugs and boric acid and through these studies four virulence factors were also determined. The isolates were recovered from vaginal samples of patients with acute VVC [AVVC, (n = 73)], symptomatic recurrent VVC [RVVC, (n = 89)], asymptomatic RVVC (n = 27), and those without signs and symptoms (n = 18). Candida albicans was the most common species found (59.9%), followed by C. glabrata (19.8%), other Candida spp., (19.8%), and Saccharomyces cerevisiae (0.5%). Antifungal susceptibility testing was performed as described in CLSI document M27-A3. Additionally, we examined phospholipase and proteinase production, adhesion to vaginal epithelial cells and hemolytic activity. Notably, the MIC values of Candida spp. isolates derived from patients with VVC were no different from those of the controls (P > 0.05). In addition, Candida isolates derived from patients with AVVC or RVVC produced significantly higher amounts of phospholipase and proteinase compared with the controls (P <0.05). Antifungal testing and the determination of virulence factors may lead to the effective and prompt treatment of VVC, particularly in pregnant women. © 2012 ISHAM.Funding was received from both Ç ukurova University, Adana, Turkey (Project No: TF2010BAP1) and Gazi University, Ankara, Turkey. Additionally, we appreciate and give our sincere thanks to two anonymous reviewers for their critical comments on earlier drafts of this paper

Candida vaginitis in non-pregnant patients: A study of antifungal susceptibility testing and virulence factors

PubMedID: 23654320Vulvovaginal candidosis (VVC) is a major problem for the female population worldwide, and considerably little is known about the difference between acute VVC (AVVC) and recurrent VVC (RVVC). We investigated the susceptibility to six antifungal agents and boric acid of Candida spp. isolated from vaginal cultures, as described in the CLSI document M27-A3, from 228 non-pregnant sexually active women (aged 18-49 years), and the virulence factors of these isolates. The isolates were derived from patients with AVVC (n = 64), those with RVVC (n = 125) and those without signs or symptoms (n = 39). In total, C. albicans was the most commonly isolated species (50%), followed by C. glabrata (35.5%) and other Candida spp. (14.5%). We observed slightly different minimum inhibitory concentration (MICs) for various antifungals among the species and study groups that could have potential therapeutic benefits for the treatment. Analysis of the virulence factors revealed that haemolytic activity is not involved in VVC pathogenesis but that germ-tube formation, adhesion to VECs, and proteinase and phospholipase production may be important in the pathogenesis of VVC. © 2013 Informa UK, Ltd

Ligand-to-metal charge transfer resulting in metalloaromaticity of [R,R-Cyclohexyl-1,2-bis(2-Oxidonaphthylideneiminato-N,N',O,O')]Cu(II): A scrutinized structural investigation

Molecular and crystal structure analysis of a tetradentate ligand-to-metal charge transfer (LMCT) complex, [R,R-cyclohexyl-1,2-bis(2-oxidonaphthylideneiminato-N,N',O,O')]Cu(II), are described and characterized by X-ray crystallography and FTIR spectroscopy. The Cu(II) centers are coordinated by four atoms of the donor set [N 2 O 2 ] in a distorted square-planar fashion, which can be attributed to an active electronic delocalization within metallacycles and polychelating property of the pro-ligand. Bond valences of copper centers in four crystallographically independent monomers are slightly distinguished from each other, which is associated with differences in charge delocalization levels of the pro-ligands. Total valence of the copper center is increased with increasing ?-electron donation from naphthalene fragments to metallacycles. This charge transfer leads to ?···? interactions between metallacycles including imine bridges. In addition, decreases in the centroid-centroid distances of ?···? interactions are associated with increased aromatic character of metallacycles. Molecules of the complex are stacked as dimers in the crystal structure formed by ?···? interactions and aggregations of these dimeric formations along a-axis are strengthened by C-H···O type H-bonds and C-H···? interactions. © Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2010.FEF2007BAP19 Ministerio de Ciencia y Tecnología: MAT2006–01997 Federación Española de Enfermedades RarasAcknowledgments Financial support from the Spanish Ministerio de Educacion y Ciencia (MAT2006–01997 and ‘Factoría de Cris-talización’ Consolider Ingenio 2010), FEDER and C¸ ukurova University Research Foundation (FEF2007BAP19) is gratefully acknowledged