Takayasu Arteritis Initially Mimicking Infective Endocarditis

Takayasu’s arteritis (TA) is a chronic inflammatory disease that affects large vessels, predominantly the aorta and its main branches, leading to vessel wall thickening, fibrosis and stenosis. Cardiac and vascular symptoms are also commonly present at disease onset. In TA with thoracic or abdominal involvement, although murmur can be present at physical examination, the pulse difference may be absent. Here, we report a case of TA who initially resembled infective endocarditis and had widespread thoracic murmur

Učinci liječenja fenetil esterom kavene kiseline na reumatološke pokazatelje i metabolizam željeza u štakorica s izazvanom šećernom bolešću.

Diabetology and rheumatology have much in common, including many biochemical features. Diabetic cases suffer excessively from common musculoskeletal conditions. The present study aimed to explore the association between the caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) treatment and the standard parameters of diabetic and rheumatologic controls. Serum anti-streptolysin-O (ASO), C-reactive protein (CRP), rheumatoid factor (RF) titers and glucose (GLU), cholesterol (CHOL), triglyceride (TG), high density lipoprotein (HDL), very low density lipoprotein (VLDL), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT), sodium (Na), potassium (K), chloride (Cl), calcium (Ca), phosphorus (P), uric acid (UA), iron (Fe), iron-binding capacity (IBC), total iron-binding capacity (TIBC) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) levels were measured in 22 female Wistar-Albino rats. The animals were divided into three groups: group 1: non-diabetic rats as control; group 2: streptozotocin (STZ)-induced, untreated diabetic rats; and group 3: STZ-induced, CAPE-treated diabetic rats. Levels of GLU were increased in group 2. ASO values were decreased in group 3. TG and VLDL levels were increased in group 3 compared with the group 1. Higher UA levels were detected in group 3 compared with group 2. The levels of Fe and TIBC were decreased in group 3. The results of the present study indicate the reducing effect of CAPE on the serum levels of diabetic and rheumatologic parameters in diabetic rats.Dijabetologija i reumatologija imaju mnoge sličnosti, uključujući biokemijske procese. Oboljeli od dijabetesa pate od teških stanja mišićno-koštanog sustava. U ovom radu istražena je povezanost između liječenja fenetil esterom kavene kiseline i standardnih pokazatelja koji se kontroliraju pri dijabetičnim i reumatoidnim bolestima. Kod 22 Wistar-Albino štakorice mjereni su: serumski anti-streptolizin-O (ASO), C-reaktivni protein (CRP), titar reumatoidnog faktora (RF), zatim razina glukoze (GLU), kolesterola (CHOL), triglicerida (TG), lipoproteina visoke gustoće (HDL), lipoproteina vrlo niske gustoće (VLDL), alkalne fosfataze (ALP), gamaglutamil transferaze (GGT), natrija (Na), kalija (K), klorida (Cl), kalcija (Ca), fosfora (P), mokraćne kiseline (UA), željeza (Fe), kapaciteta vezanja željeza (IBC), ukupnog kapaciteta vezanja željeza (TIBC) i superoksid dismutaze (SOD). Životinje su bile podijeljene u tri skupine: 1. štakorice bez dijabetesa (kontrolna skupina), 2. neliječene štakorice s dijabetesom izazvanim streptozotocinom (STZ) i 3. štakorice sa streptozotocin (STZ) - izazvanim dijabetesom liječenim fenetil esterom kavene kiseline. Razine GLU bile su povećane u skupini 2. ASO vrijednosti bile su snižene u skupini 3. Razine TG i VLDL bile su povišene u skupini 3 u usporedbi s razinama u skupini 1. Više razine UA utvrđene su u skupini 3 u usporedbi sa skupinom 2. Razine Fe i TIBC bile su snižene u skupini 3. Rezultati pokazuju reducirajuće učinke fenetil estera kavene kiseline na razinu dijabetičnih i reumatoloških pokazatelja u serumu štakorica sa šećernom bolešću izazvanom streptozotocinom

Clinical and laboratory evaluation of Turkish children with IgG subclass deficiency

MakaleWOS:000922080700001PubMed ID: 36089538Background: IgG subclass deficiency is a laboratory diagnosis and becomes important with recurrent infections. This study aimed to examine the demographic, clinical, and laboratory results of pediatric cases with IgG subclass deficiency and to improve the understanding of the clinical significance of IgG subclass deficiency. Methods: In this study, the clinical and laboratory features of 111 pediatric patients, with at least one whose serum IgG subclasses was measured as lower than 2 standard deviation of healthy aged-matched control values, were evaluated. The clinical and laboratory features of the cases with isolated IgG subclass deficiency (Group 1) and those with low serum levels of any of IgG, IgA, and IgM in addition to the IgG subclass deficiency (Group 2) were compared. Results: A total of 55 (49.54%) and 56 (50.45 %) patients were included in Groups 1 and 2, respectively. Among our studied cases, 20 (18. 1%) had a history of hospitalization in the neonatal period, 61 (54.95 %) had at least one hospitalization due to infection, and 55 (49.54%) had a history of recurrent infection. The frequencies of these three conditions were statistically significantly higher in Group 2 (p < 0.05). The frequencies of infections in the last year in Groups 1 and 2 were 4.4 +/- 1.2 and 5.4 +/- 1.9, respectively (p < 0.05). As a result of recurrent infections, 43.24% (n = 48) of our patients received antibiotic prophylaxis, and 21.62% (n = 24) had immunoglobulin replacement therapy. Furthermore, the numbers of pa-tients who needed these treatments were higher in Group 2 (p < 0.05).Conclusion: In cases with IgG subclass deficiencies, concomitant main-group immunoglobulin deficiencies may increase the number and severity of infections, leading to hospitalizations, antibiotic prophylaxis, and immunoglobulin therapy. More attention should be paid to cases of immunoglobulin main-group deficiencies in the follow-up of these cases.Copyright (c) 2022, Taiwan Pediatric Association. Published by Elsevier Taiwan LLC. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/ by-nc-nd/4.0/)

The First Record of Raccoon Dog (Nyctereutes Procyonoides) in Turkey

The raccoon dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides) was recorded for the first time in Turkey on May 10, 2019, and June 5, 2019, in the same location after 4668 nights of camera trapping in the forests of the Sarıkamış region and Allahuekber Mountains in eastern Turkey. It was recorded in a Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) forest at 2340 m above sea level with extensive snow cover. Given that the nearest known population is in the forests of Georgia approximately 105 km away, there may already be a viable population in Turkey. As an omnivorous species with a high adaptive ability and high reproductive potential, the raccoon dog has strong dispersal capability. It is considered an invasive species in Europe and there are some ongoing eradication activities in several countries. Therefore, we strongly advise that the raccoon dog in Turkey be evaluated as an invasive species and that the relevant authorities conduct extensive research and any necessary management, especially where the habitat and local climate are more favorable for the species’ reproduction and range expansion

Levels of selected minerals, nitric oxide, and vitamins in aborted Sakis sheep raised under semitropical conditions

The serum levels of calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, copper, zinc and iron and of nitric oxide, retinol, and β-carotene were determined in Sakiz ewes that had experienced an abortion and in healthy controls. Ten healthy and 25 aborted Sakiz sheep were selected from Afyon zone in western Turkey. Their ages ranged between 2 and 4 years weighing between 40 and 60 kg at the time of experiment. All of the abortions occurred in October. The concentrations of retinol, β-carotene, phosphorus, and zinc were significantly lower and those of calcium and nitric oxide were increased in aborted ewes relative to healthy controls. The serum levels of iron, copper, and magnesium were not significantly different among the two groups. In conclusion, abortion is an important problem in commercially important species of ruminants in many regions in the tropics including of western Turkey. Deficiencies of retinol, β-carotene, phosphorus and zinc, and the increase of calcium and nitric oxide concentration may play an important role in the etiology of abortion in ewes. Prophylactic measures such as vitamin and mineral supplementation may be of help to prevent or reduce the incidence of abortion in sheep

Can computer-aided diagnosis assist in the identification of prostate cancer on prostate MRI? a multi-center, multi-reader investigation.

For prostate cancer detection on prostate multiparametric MRI (mpMRI), the Prostate Imaging-Reporting and Data System version 2 (PI-RADSv2) and computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) systems aim to widely improve standardization across radiologists and centers. Our goal was to evaluate CAD assistance in prostate cancer detection compared with conventional mpMRI interpretation in a diverse dataset acquired from five institutions tested by nine readers of varying experience levels, in total representing 14 globally spread institutions. Index lesion sensitivities of mpMRI-alone were 79% (whole prostate (WP)), 84% (peripheral zone (PZ)), 71% (transition zone (TZ)), similar to CAD at 76% (WP, p=0.39), 77% (PZ, p=0.07), 79% (TZ, p=0.15). Greatest CAD benefit was in TZ for moderately-experienced readers at PI-RADSv2 <3 (84% vs mpMRI-alone 67%, p=0.055). Detection agreement was unchanged but CAD-assisted read times improved (4.6 vs 3.4 minutes, p<0.001). At PI-RADSv2 ≥ 3, CAD improved patient-level specificity (72%) compared to mpMRI-alone (45%, p<0.001). PI-RADSv2 and CAD-assisted mpMRI interpretations have similar sensitivities across multiple sites and readers while CAD has potential to improve specificity and moderately-experienced radiologists' detection of more difficult tumors in the center of the gland. The multi-institutional evidence provided is essential to future prostate MRI and CAD development

Cardiovascular risk and events in 17 low-, middle-, and high-income countries

BACKGROUND: More than 80% of deaths from cardiovascular disease are estimated to occur in low-income and middle-income countries, but the reasons are unknown. METHODS: We enrolled 156,424 persons from 628 urban and rural communities in 17 countries (3 high-income, 10 middle-income, and 4 low-income countries) and assessed their cardiovascular risk using the INTERHEART Risk Score, a validated score for quantifying risk-factor burden without the use of laboratory testing (with higher scores indicating greater risk-factor burden). Participants were followed for incident cardiovascular disease and death for a mean of 4.1 years. RESULTS: The mean INTERHEART Risk Score was highest in high-income countries, intermediate in middle-income countries, and lowest in low-income countries (P<0.001). However, the rates of major cardiovascular events (death from cardiovascular causes, myocardial infarction, stroke, or heart failure) were lower in high-income countries than in middle- and low-income countries (3.99 events per 1000 personyears vs. 5.38 and 6.43 events per 1000 person-years, respectively; P<0.001). Case fatality rates were also lowest in high-income countries (6.5%, 15.9%, and 17.3% in high-, middle-, and low-income countries, respectively; P = 0.01). Urban communities had a higher risk-factor burden than rural communities but lower rates of cardiovascular events (4.83 vs. 6.25 events per 1000 person-years, P<0.001) and case fatality rates (13.52% vs. 17.25%, P<0.001). The use of preventive medications and revascularization procedures was significantly more common in high-income countries than in middle- or low-income countries (P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Although the risk-factor burden was lowest in low-income countries, the rates of major cardiovascular disease and death were substantially higher in low-income countries than in high-income countries. The high burden of risk factors in highincome countries may have been mitigated by better control of risk factors and more frequent use of proven pharmacologic therapies and revascularization. (Funded by the Population Health Research Institute and others.)IS

Concrete sewer pipe corrosion induced by sulphuric acid environment

Corrosion of concrete sewer pipes induced by sulphuric acid attack is a recognised problem worldwide, which is not only an attribute of countries with hot climate conditions as thought before. The significance of this problem is by far only realised when the pipe collapses causing surface flooding and other severe consequences. To change the existing post-reactive attitude of managing companies, easy to use and robust models are required to be developed which currently lack reliable data to be correctly calibrated. This paper focuses on laboratory experiments of establishing concrete pipe corrosion rate by submerging samples in to 0.5 pH sulphuric acid solution for 56 days under 10ºC, 20ºC and 30ºC temperature regimes. The result showed that at very early stage of the corrosion process the samples gained overall mass, at 30ºC the corrosion progressed quicker than for other temperature regimes, however with time the corrosion level for 10ºC and 20ºC regimes tended towards those at 30ºC. Overall, at these conditions the corrosion rates of 10 mm/year, 13,5 mm/year and 17 mm/year were observed