Serum amphiregulin and cerebellin 1 levels in primary hypertension patients

Background: Hypertension is a major risk factor for cardiovascular diseases, stroke, congestive heart disease and renal failure. Primary hypertension is a multi-factorial complex disease and its exact etiology still remains unknown. In this study we aimed to compare serum amphiregulin and cerebellin-1 levels of primary hypertension patients with healthy subjects. Material and methods: Forty-four hypertensive patients and 44 healthy people were included. Patients with systolic blood pressure measurements ≥ 140 mm Hg and diastolic blood pressure measurements ≥ 90 mm Hg were evaluated as hypertensive. Serum amphiregulin and cerebellin 1 levels were measured using ELISA method. Results: Mean amphiregulin level was 32.1 (10.2–72.5) pg/mL in hypertension group and 36.9 (15.9–109.5) pg/mL in control group (p = 0.002). Mean cerebellin 1 levels were comparable in both groups, 82.1 (23.9–286.1) pg/mL in hypertensive group and 95.1 (60.2–293) pg/mL in control group (p = 0.261). Serum amphiregulin to predict hypertension was found to be ≤ 23 pg/mL with specificity of 97% and sensitivity of 48.5% (AUC = 0.74; 95% CI, 0.62–0.86; p = 0.001). Conclusions: Hypertension is associated with lower serum amphiregulin concentrations

Sağ koroner arterin karşı taraftan anormal çıkışı : 17 vakalık seri

Amaç: Sağ koroner arterin sol sinüs Valsalva'dan anormal çıkışı, aort ve pulmoner arter arasında seyretmesi, ateroskleroz olmaksızın göğüs ağrısına, akut miyokard enfarktüsüne ve hatta ani ölüme sebep olabilir. Özellikle genç hastalar ciddi klinik olaylar açsından risk altında olsa da, orta-ileri yaştaki hastalarda da farklı klinik seyirler gözlenebilir. Bu çalışmada, orta-ileri yaştaki hastalarda sol sinüsten Valsalva'dan çıkan sağ koroner arterin anjiyografik varyasyonları, klinik bulguları ve uzun dönem bulguları incelenmiştir. Gereç ve Yöntemler: 1999-2005 yılları arasında farklı merkezlerde koroner anjiyografi yapılan 70.850 hastanın kayıtları en az iki girişimsel kardiyolog tarafından incelendi. Sağ koroner arterin ayrıntılı değerlendirilmesi gerektiğinde, çok kesitli bilgisayarlı tomografi de kullanıldı. Tüm hastalar ortalama 50 ay takip edildi. Bulgular: Toplam 17 hastada (%0.024) karşı taraftan çıkan sağ koroner arter tespit edildi. Bu hastaların 12 (%71) sinde sağ koroner arter sol sinüs Valsalva'dan, 5 (%29) inde çıkan aortada sol sinüs Valsalva üzerinden çıkmaktaydı. Sağ koroner arterin başlangıç kısmının retro-aortik seyri 2 (%12) hastada gözlenirken, 15 (%88) inde inter-arteryel seyretmekteydi. Hastaların 9 (%53) unda aterosklerotik tutulum gözlenmedi. 3 (%18) hastaya, bunlardan birisinin aterosklerotik tutulumu yoktu, anormal sağ koronere bağlı koroner by- pass yapıldı. Hastalardan birisine de anormal sağ koroner arter nedeniyle stent takıldı. Takip süresince 3 hasta kalp dışı nedenlere bağlı olarak kaybedildi. Diğer 14 hasta olaysız olarak takip edildi. Sonuç: Sol sinüs Valsalva kaynaklı sağ koroner arter saptanan orta-ileri yaştaki hastalarda, akut koroner sendrom ya da istirahat EKG'sinde iskemi olmaksızın, tıbbi tedavi uygun bir seçenektir.Objective: Anomalous origin of the right coronary artery (RCA) from left sinus of Valsalva (LSV), coursing between the aorta and pulmonary artery can lead to angina pectoris, acute myocardial infarction or even sudden death in the absence of atherosclerosis. Especially young patients have the risk of serious clinical events, but middle-aged-to elderly patients have variable clinical courses. In this study, we presented angiographic variations, clinical findings and long term follow-up data of RCA originating from left side in middle-aged-to elderly patients Material and Methods: We reviewed the records of 70,850 patients undergoing coronary angiography between 1999-2005 years. At least two invasive cardiologists examined the angiogram of each patient. If necessary, multislice computerized tomography was used for detailed investigation of the RCA. All patients were followed up for approximately 50 months. Results: Seventeen patients (0,024%) were found to have anomalous origin of RCA from contralateral side. The anomalous RCA originated within the LSV in 12 (71%) patient, from ascending aorta above the LSV in 5 (29%) patients. The retroaortic course of the initial RCA was seen in 2 (12%) patients while 15 (88%) patients showed interarterial course . No atherosclerotic involvement was seen in 9 (53%) patients. Three patients (18%), one of them had no atherosclerotic lesion, underwent CABG due to anomalous RCA. One patient was also treated by stent implantation to the anomalous RCA. Three patients died during the follow up period due to noncardiac causes. Other 14 patients have been followed up uneventfully. Conclusion: Medical treatment is a plausible choice of treatment in anomalous RCA originating from LSV in middle–aged-to elderly patients in the absence of ischemia on 12-lead resting ECG and/or acute coronary syndrome

Comparison of Antiviral Effect of Olive Leaf Extract and Propolis with Acyclovir on Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1

While acyclovir, a nucleoside analogue, is widely used for herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1), emergence of drug-resistant viruses due to frequent usage of this class of medicines, and their toxic side effects require exploring novel active molecules. Despite the studies on developing synthetic molecules in medical sciences and pharmacology, herbs as a natural source of biologically-active compounds remain popular. In this in vitro study, olive leaf extract (OLE) and propolis alone or in combination with acyclovir were investigated for their antiviral efficacy in HSV-1.Toxic doses of OLE, propolis, and dimethyl sulfoxide, propolis diluent, for Hep-2 (ATCC, CCL-23) cells were determined by conventional cell culture. Using "endpoint" method, the viral dose infecting half of the cell culture (TCID50) was calculated, and viral quantity was determined with Spearman-Karber method. Antiviral effects of OLE and propolis on HSV-1 were investigated by conventional cell culture and real-time cell analysis (RTCA). Combinations of the two extracts with one another and with acyclovir were evaluated by RTCA. Active substances prepared at three different dilutions were added to tubes with HSV-1 of logTCID(50): 11.5 in descending order starting from the highest non-toxic concentration, and they were left at room temperature for two different durations (one hour and three hours). The aliquots taken from the tubes were cultured in plates containing Hep-2 cells and evaluated after 72 hours. Combinations of extracts and acyclovir at concentrations at least four times lower than the lowest concentration showing antiviral efficacy against HSV-1 were cultured with Hep-2 cells in the e-plates of the xCELLigence RTCA device, measurements were obtained at 30 minute intervals, and data were recorded in real time. In the test with two different durations and at different concentrations of OLE and propolis, antiviral efficacy was observed both with one-hour and three-hour incubation at a concentration of 10 mu g/ml for propolis and 1.2 mg/ml for OLE with RTCA. The duration and concentration of the greatest decrease in viral quantity were in the first one hour and 10 mu g/ml for propolis, and in the first one hour and 1.2 mg/ml for OLE. Combination of propolis and OLE with acyclovir caused no cytopathic effects, and the combination of extracts led to delayed cytopathic effect. According to these results, propolis and OLE, alone and in combinations with acyclovir, have antiviral efficacy against HSV-1. These agents may reduce the dose and side effects of acyclovir in case of co-administration since they exert their effects through a different mechanism than acyclovir,possibly through direct virucidal activity, inhibition of virus internalization or viral inhibition in early stages of replication (inhibition of adsorption/binding of viral particles to the cell). These extracts that do not require conversion to active form have the potential to reduce infectivity in oral lesions, prevent spread, and be used in the topical treatment of acyclovir-resistant HSV infections, particularly in immunocompromised patients. However, in vivo studies should be conducted to determine their medicinal properties and potential toxicities. These results should be supported by further comprehensive studies and the efficacy against other viruses should also be investigated

The Comparison of Experimental Dynamic Behavior of Historical Mosques with Masonry and Reinforced Concrete Domes

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