Tumour necrosis factor alpha, lipid peroxidation and NO* are increased and associated with decreased free-radical scavenging enzymes in patients with Weill-Marchesani syndrome.

AIM: Weill-Marchesani syndrome (WMS) is a rare systemic disorder with both autosomal recessive and dominant inheritances. Accumulation of reactive oxygen species such as O2*-, H2O2 and OH* causes lipid peroxidation (LPO), whereas antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSHPx)) mediate defence against oxidative stress. Excess tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha and NO* react with O2*- and cause further antioxidant depletion with an increase in mutation frequency by H2O2. This study investigated the levels of SOD, GSHPx, catalase (CAT), TNF-alpha, NO and LPO in patients with WMS. METHODS: A group of 10 WMS patients (four males, six females; age, 26.5+/-19.0 years) and 10 age-matched and sex-matched controls (five males, five females; age, 27.3+/-18.2 years) were included. Serum TNF-alpha levels were determined by a spectrophotometer technique using immulite chemiluminescent immunometric assay. Malondialdehyde (MDA) was determined in plasma; CAT in red blood cells (RBCs), and SOD and GSHPx in both plasma and RBCs. Total serum NO* levels were evaluated by Griess reaction. RESULTS: Mean levels of TNF-alpha (8.3+/-0.6 pg/ml) in WMS patients were significantly (p<0.001) higher than controls (4.3+/-0.2 pg/ml). Plasma MDA levels in patients and controls were 5.4+/-0.8 and 1.8+/-0.6 micromol/l, respectively, and the difference was significant (p=0.0002). SOD and GSHPx activities were significantly lower in both RBCs and plasma of WMS than in controls (RBC-SOD, 3981.9+/-626.6 versus 5261.6+/-523.0 U/g haemoglobin (Hb), p=0.0005; plasma-SOD, 529.4+/-49.3 versus 713.4+/-55.7 U/g protein, p=0.0002; RBC-GSHPx, 682.7+/-42.0 versus 756.5+/-47.6 U/g Hb, p=0.0011; plasma-GSHPx, 107.3+/-15.0 versus 131.4+/-19.7 U/g protein, p=0.0113). In addition, serum NO (NO*-2 + NO*-3) levels were also significantly (p = 0.0002) increased in WMS patients (54.4+/-5.7 versus 26.9+/-6.7 micromol/l). RBC-CAT levels were similar between groups (125.6+/-21.3 versus 131.0+/-21.5 k/g Hb, p = 0.8798). CONCLUSIONS: The elevated LPO, TNF-alpha and NO* with decreased antioxidant enzyme activities indicated impaired antioxidative defence mechanisms with an oxidative injury and cell toxicity in WMS patients. The use of multiple antioxidants and free radical scavengers might be helpful in this genetic disorder

Meaning in life, religious coping, and loneliness during the coronavirus health crisis in Turkey

Since December 2019, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused serious mental health challenges and consequently the Turkish population has been adversely affected by the virus. The present study examined how meaning in life related to loneliness and the degree to which religious coping strategies mediated these relations. Participants were a sample of 872 adults (242 males and 360 females) drawn from general public in Turkey. Data were collected using Meaning in Life Questionnaire, UCLA Loneliness Scale, and the Religious Coping Measure. Meaning in life was associated with more positive religious coping and less negative religious coping and loneliness. Positive religious coping was associated with less loneliness, while negative religious coping was associated with more loneliness. Religious coping strategies mediated the impact of meaning in life on loneliness. These findings suggest that greater meaning in life may link with lesser loneliness due to, in part, an increased level of positive religious coping strategies and a decreased level of negative coping strategies.Ataturk University SBA-2020-859

Kıyâme Suresi 19. Ayeti Bağlamında Sünnetin Kaynağı ve Hz. Peygamber’in (sas) Tebyin Görevi

Sünnetin konumu, sünnet-vahiy ilişkisi, sünnetin vahiy kaynaklı olup olmadığı konuları günümüzde sıkça gündeme getirilmekte ve bu bağlamda sünnetin dindeki konumuyla ilgili değerlendirmelere yer verilmektedir. Sünnetin dindeki konumuna ilişkin tartışmalarda, Kur’ân'dan bazı ayetler delil olarak sunulmaktadır. Ancak sünnetin dindeki konumunun Hz. Peygamber’in konumundan bağımsız değerlendirilmesi düşünülemez. Şüphesiz ki bu konuda başvurulması gereken ilk kaynak Kur’ân-ı Kerim’dir. Bu çalışmada, sünnetin kaynağı, dindeki yeri, korunması ve Resûlullah’ın Kur’ân’ı açıklaması (tebyîn) konuları, Kıyâme Suresi’nin 19. ayeti bağlamında ele alınmaya çalışılacaktır. Tefsir ve Hadis kaynaklarında Kıyâme Suresi’nin 16-19. ayetleri bir bütün olarak incelendiğinden öncelikle bu ayetlerin nüzul sebebi verilecek, ardından kaynaklarda verilen bilgiler ışığında ilgili ayet değerlendirilmeye çalışılacaktır

Kıyâme Suresi 19. Ayeti Bağlamında Sünnetin Kaynağı ve Hz. Peygamber’in (sas) Tebyin Görevi

Sünnetin konumu, sünnet-vahiy ilişkisi, sünnetin vahiy kaynaklı olup olmadığı konuları günümüzde sıkça gündeme getirilmekte ve bu bağlamda sünnetin dindeki konumuyla ilgili değerlendirmelere yer verilmektedir. Sünnetin dindeki konumuna ilişkin tartışmalarda, Kur’ân'dan bazı ayetler delil olarak sunulmaktadır. Ancak sünnetin dindeki konumunun Hz. Peygamber’in konumundan bağımsız değerlendirilmesi düşünülemez. Şüphesiz ki bu konuda başvurulması gereken ilk kaynak Kur’ân-ı Kerim’dir. Bu çalışmada, sünnetin kaynağı, dindeki yeri, korunması ve Resûlullah’ın Kur’ân’ı açıklaması (tebyîn) konuları, Kıyâme Suresi’nin 19. ayeti bağlamında ele alınmaya çalışılacaktır. Tefsir ve Hadis kaynaklarında Kıyâme Suresi’nin 16-19. ayetleri bir bütün olarak incelendiğinden öncelikle bu ayetlerin nüzul sebebi verilecek, ardından kaynaklarda verilen bilgiler ışığında ilgili ayet değerlendirilmeye çalışılacaktır

Disorder in KHCO3 as studied by EPR and DTA in Cu2+ doped and gamma-irradiated single crystals

Kalicinite (KHCO3) single crystals were investigated by the electron paramagnetric resonance (EPR) technique in their Cu2+ doped and gamma- irradiated states. It is observed that the behavior of the spectrum is the same at ambient and low temperatures down to 113 K in consistence with the monoclinic symmetry of the crystal. However, when the temperature is increased to 313 K, only one site signals were observed at all orientations of the magnetic field for the Cu2+ doped samples as the site splitted signals overlap at this temperature. Furthermore, for the gamma-irradiated crystals, two sites were observed for the induced H(C)over dot O-3 and (C)over dot O-2(-) radicals at ambient temperature for an arbitrary orientation of the magnetic field. However, when the temperature is increased to 348 K, the signals due to the H(C)over dot O-3 radical overlap indicating only one site, but the signals due to (C)over dot O-2(-) the radical do not and continue to indicate the presence of the two sites. Therefore, we conclude that this one site transition at 313 K is due to the disordering of the proton vacancies, as the charge compensation of Cu2+ is fulfilled by K+ and proton holes. This indicates that the proton vacancies come to disorder at 313 K and the protons get disordered at 348 K. The differential thermal analysis results show two small endothermic peaks for the Cu2+ doped and gamma-irradiated samples at 313 and 348 K that were attributed to the disorder of the proton vacancies and protons, in consistency with the EPR results

Efficacy of ivabradin to reduce heart rate prior to coronary CT angiography: comparison with beta-blocker

WOS: 000310927400004PubMed ID: 22729428PURPOSE The objective of our study was to assess the effect of ivabradine on image quality of ECG-gated multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) coronary angiography. MATERIALS AND METHODS Computed tomography coronary angiography (CTCA) was performed on two groups. In Group 1 (n=54), an intravenous beta-blocker was administered to patients with a heart rate >70 beats per minute (bpm) just before CTCA. In Group 2 (n=56), oral ivabradine 5 mg was administered twice a day for three days prior to CTCA examination to patients with a heart rate >70 bpm and contraindication to beta-blockers. Images acquired on two different MDCT scanners were scored in terms of image quality of the coronary artery segments using a 5-point grading scale (Grade 1, unreadable; Grade 5, excellent). RESULTS The mean heart rates during CTCA were 64 +/- 6.7 bpm for Group 1 and 59 +/- 4.1 bpm for Group 2 (P<0.05). Mean heart rate reduction was 9 +/- 5% and 14 +/- 8% for Groups 1 and 2, respectively (P < 0.001). A total of 880 segments were evaluated in 110 patients. When the best reconstruction interval was used, 89.8% and 95.5% of all the coronary segments showed acceptable image quality in Groups 1 and 2, respectively. Acceptable image quality of the middle right coronary artery was obtained in 78.3% of Group 1 and 92.4% of Group 2. These ratios for the other segments were 88.4% for Group 1 and 951% for Group 2. CONCLUSION Reduction of heart rates with ivabradine premedication improves the image quality of CTCA. It should be considered as an alternative drug, particularly in patients with contraindications to beta-blockers

Synuclein-gamma predicts poor clinical outcome in esophageal cancer patients

The synuclein gamma (SNCG) protein, a member of neuronal protein family synuclein, has been considered as a promising potential biomarker as an indicator of cancer stage and survival in patients with cancer. The present study was conducted to evaluate the prognostic value of SNCG in patients with esophageal carcinoma (EC). SNCG levels were assessed immunohistochemically in cancer tissues from 73 EC patients. Median age was 57 (range, 29-78) years old. Forty-seven percent of the patients were male. Thirty-seven percent of the patients had upper or middle localized tumor whereas 59 % had epidermoid carcinoma. More than half of the patients (61 %) had undergone operation where 57 % received adjuvant treatment including chemotherapy or chemotherapy plus radiotherapy. Median overall survival was 11.3 +/- 1.8 months (95% confidence interval (CI): 7.7-14.9 months). SNCG positivity was significantly associated with the histological type of EC and inoperability (for SNCG positive vs. negative group; epidermoid 80 vs. 53 %; p=0.05 and inoperable 59 vs. 32 %; p=0.04, respectively). Lymph node metastasis, inoperability and receiving no adjuvant treatment had significantly adverse effect on survival in the univariate analysis (p=0.01, p< 0.001, and p=0.001, respectively). SNCG positivity had significantly adverse effect on survival in both univariate and multivariate analysis (p=0.02 and p=0.01, respectively). Our results are the first to suggest that SNCG is a new independent predictor for poor prognosis in EC patients in the literature

Characteristics of Turkish children with Type 2 diabetes at onset: a multicentre, cross-sectional study

Aims To describe the baseline clinical and laboratory findings and treatment modalities of 367 children and adolescents diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes in various paediatric endocrinology centres in Turkey. Methods A standard questionnaire regarding clinical and laboratory characteristics at onset was uploaded to an online national database system. Data for 367 children (aged 6-18 years) newly diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes at 37 different paediatric endocrinology centres were analysed. Results After exclusion of the children with a BMI Z-score 50% of the children were asymptomatic at diagnosis. The other important result of our study was the high rate of exclusion from the initial registration (38%), suggesting that accurate diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes in youth is still problematic, even for paediatric endocrinologists

Characteristics of Turkish children with Type 2 diabetes at onset: a multicentre, cross-sectional study

Aims To describe the baseline clinical and laboratory findings and treatment modalities of 367 children and adolescents diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes in various paediatric endocrinology centres in Turkey. Methods A standard questionnaire regarding clinical and laboratory characteristics at onset was uploaded to an online national database system. Data for 367 children (aged 6-18 years) newly diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes at 37 different paediatric endocrinology centres were analysed. Results After exclusion of the children with a BMI Z-score < 1 SD, those with genetic syndromes associated with Type 2 diabetes, and those whose C-peptide and/or insulin levels were not available, 227 cases were included in the study. Mean age was 13.8 +/- 2.2 (range 6.5-17.8) years, with female preponderance (68\%). Family history of Type 2 diabetes was positive in 86\% of the children. The mean BMI was 31.3 +/- 6.5 kg/m(2) (range 18.7-61) and BMI Z-score was 2.4 +/- 0.8 (range 1-5). More than half (57\%) of the children were identified by an opportunistic diabetes screening due to existing risk markers without typical symptoms of diabetes. Only 13\% (n = 29) were treated solely by lifestyle modification, while 40.5\% (n = 92) were treated with metformin, 13\% (n = 30) were treated with insulin, and 33.5\% (n = 76) were treated with a combination of insulin and metformin initially. Mean HbA(1C) levels of the insulin and combination of insulin and metformin groups were 98 (11.1\%) and 102 mmol/mol (11.5\%), respectively, and also were significantly higher than the lifestyle modification only and metformin groups mean HbA(1C) levels (70(8.6\%) and 67 mmol/mol (8.3\%), respectively). Conclusions An opportunistic screening of children who are at high risk of Type 2 diabetes is essential, as our data showed that > 50\% of the children were asymptomatic at diagnosis. The other important result of our study was the high rate of exclusion from the initial registration (38\%), suggesting that accurate diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes in youth is still problematic, even for paediatric endocrinologists