Brain Perfusion MRI Findings in Patients with Behcet's Disease

Objective. To search brain perfusion MRI (pMRI) changes in Behcet's disease (BD) with or without neurological involvement. Materials and Method. The pMRI were performed in 34 patients with BD and 16 healthy controls. Based on neurologic examination and post-contrast MRI, 12 patients were classified as Neuro-Behcet (group 1, NBD) and 22 patients as BD without neurological involvement (group 2). Mean transit time (MTT), time to peak (TTP), relative cerebral blood volume (rCBV), and relative cerebral blood flow (rCBF) were obtained and compared to those of healthy control group (group 3). Results. There was a significant difference in the MTT and rCBF within the pons and parietal cortex in groups 1 and 2. rCBV increased in cerebral pedicle in group 1 compared with groups 2 and 3. In the temporal lobe white matter, prolonged MTT and decreased rCBF were found in groups 1 and 2. In the corpus striatum, internal capsule, and periventricular white matter, rCBF increased in group 1 compared with group 3 and decreased in groups 1 and 2. Conclusion. Brain pMRI is a very sensitive method to detect brain involvement in patients with BD and aids the clinical diagnosis of NBD, especially in patients with negative MRI findings

miR-146a is a significant brake on autoimmunity, myeloproliferation, and cancer in mice

Excessive or inappropriate activation of the immune system can be deleterious to the organism, warranting multiple molecular mechanisms to control and properly terminate immune responses. MicroRNAs (miRNAs), ~22-nt-long noncoding RNAs, have recently emerged as key posttranscriptional regulators, controlling diverse biological processes, including responses to non-self. In this study, we examine the biological role of miR-146a using genetically engineered mice and show that targeted deletion of this gene, whose expression is strongly up-regulated after immune cell maturation and/or activation, results in several immune defects. Collectively, our findings suggest that miR-146a plays a key role as a molecular brake on inflammation, myeloid cell proliferation, and oncogenic transformation

Psychiatric morbidity in dermatology patients: Frequency and results of consultations

<b>BACKGROUND:</b> Dermatological patients quite commonly depict psychiatric morbidity. <b> PURPOSES:</b> To study the psychiatric morbidity among skin patients of our clinic. <b> METHODS:</b> In the present study, the patients who were treated in the Dermatology Clinic of Inonu University Medical Faculty were evaluated retrospectively. The age, gender, marital status, habits, dermatological and systemic diseases, previously used drugs, current therapy and psychiatric diagnosis of each patient were recorded. <b> FINDINGS:</b> Of 636 patients involved in the study, 15.3&#x0025; had psychopathological problems, which were depression (32.0&#x0025;), adjustment difficulty (15.5&#x0025;), anxiety (13.4&#x0025;), psychosomatic disorders (10.3&#x0025;), obsessive-compulsive disorder and conversion (5.1&#x0025;), dysthymic disorder (4.1&#x0025;), attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (2.1&#x0025;), panic attack (1.0&#x0025;), premenstrual syndrome, schizophrenia, somatization disorder, insomnia, alcohol dependency, bipolar affective disorder, mental retardation, agoraphobia, social phobia and dementia. The dermatological diseases defined for the patients with psychopathology diagnosis were chronic urticaria (25.8&#x0025;); psoriasis (15.5&#x0025;); alopecia areata, totalis and iniversalis (11.3&#x0025;); acute urticaria, neurodermatitis and Behcet&#x2032;s disease (5.1&#x0025;); atopic dermatitis and drug eruptions (4.1&#x0025;); pemphigus (3.1&#x0025;); angioedema, contact dermatitis and generalized pruritus (2.1&#x0025;); folliculitis and the others (1.0&#x0025;). <b> CONCLUSIONS:</b> Psychiatric morbidity has an affect on the course of dermatological diseases. When required, psychiatric consultation should be sought by dermatology clinics and patients should be followed with the cooperation of dermatologists and psychiatrists. <b> LIMITATION:</b> The indoor-based study had not included any control group and any domicillary patient

Correlation between red cell distribution width and grade of hepatic steatosis and liver enzymes in patients with Non-Alcoholic steatohepatitis

Red cell distribution width (RDW) is a marker of chronic inflammation. Hepatic diseases are often associated with several hematological complications; therefore, high levels of RDW are seen in hepatic diseases. Given the fact that factors which cause non-alcoholic steatohepatitis such as inflammation, oxidative stress, free oxygen radicals, and inflammatory cytokines may have a role in the discrepancy in the erythrocyte volume, we aimed to investigate the relationship between RDW and hepatic enzymes and Grade of hepatic steatosis. A total of 120 patients with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis using abdominal ultrasonography which was performed by a gastroenterology specialist, were included in the study. Biochemical analysis, complete blood count, other blood tests were performed. Spearmans Rho correlation test was used to analyze the relationship between the parameters and p value was accepted significant if its [Med-Science 2018; 7(1.000): 127-131