NT-proBNP and Circulating Inflammation Markers in Prediction of a Normal Myocardial Scintigraphy in Patients with Symptoms of Coronary Artery Disease

Myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) can detect myocardial perfusion abnormalities but many examinations are without pathological findings. This study examines whether circulating biomarkers can be used as screening modality prior to MPI.243 patients with an intermediate risk of CAD or with known CAD with renewed suspicion of ischemia were referred to MPI. Blood samples were analyzed for N-terminal fragment of the prohormone brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), YKL-40, IL-6, matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9) and high sensitive C-reactive protein (hsCRP). Patients with myocardial perfusion defects had elevated levels of NT-proBNP (p<0.0001), YKL-40 (p = 0.03) and IL-6 (p = 0.03) but not of hsCRP (p = 0.58) nor of MMP-9 (p = 0.14). The NT-proBNP increase was observed in both genders (p<0.0001), whereas YKL-40 (p = 0.005) and IL-6 (p = 0.02) were elevated only in men. A NT-proBNP cut off-concentration at 25 ng/l predicted a normal MPI with a negative predictive value >95% regardless of existing CAD.20-25% of patients suspected of CAD could have been spared a MPI by using a NT-proBNP cut-off concentration at 25 ng/l with a negative predictive value >95%. NT-proBNP has the potential use of being a screening marker of CAD before referral of the patient to MPI

YKL-40 tissue expression and plasma levels in patients with ovarian cancer

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>YKL-40 (chitinase-3-like-1) is a member of "mammalian chitinase-like proteins". The protein is expressed in many types of cancer cells and the highest plasma YKL-40 levels have been found in patients with metastatic disease, short recurrence/progression-free intervals, and short overall survival. The aim of the study was to determine the expression of YKL-40 in tumor tissue and plasma in patients with borderline ovarian tumor or epithelial ovarian cancer (OC), and investigate prognostic value of this marker.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>YKL-40 protein expression was determined by immunohistochemistry in tissue arrays from 181 borderline tumors and 473 OC. Plasma YKL-40 was determined by ELISA in preoperative samples from 19 patients with borderline tumor and 76 OC patients.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>YKL-40 protein expression was found in cancer cells, tumor associated macrophages, neutrophils and mast cells. The tumor cell expression was higher in OC than in borderline tumors (p = 0.001), and associated with FIGO stage (p < 0.0001) and histological subtype (p = 0.0009). Positive YKL-40 expression (≥ 5% staining) was not associated with reduced survival. Plasma YKL-40 was also higher in patients with OC than in patients with borderline tumors (p < 0.0001), and it was positively correlated to serum CA-125 (p < 0.0001) and FIGO stage (p = 0.0001). Univariate Cox analysis of plasma YKL-40 showed association with overall survival (p < 0.0001). Multivariate Cox analysis, including plasma YKL-40, serum CA125, FIGO stage, age and radicality after primary surgery as variables, showed that elevated plasma YKL-40 was associated with a shorter survival (HR = 2.13, 95% CI: 1.40–3.25, p = 0.0004).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>YKL-40 in OC tissue and plasma are related to stage and histology, but only plasma YKL-40 is a prognostic biomarker in patients with OC.</p

Variation in CHI3LI in Relation to Type 2 Diabetes and Related Quantitative Traits

CHI3LI encoding the inflammatory glycoprotein YKL-40 is located on chromosome 1q32.1. YKL-40 is involved in inflammatory processes and patients with Type 2 Diabetes (T2D) have elevated circulating YKL-40 levels which correlate with their level of insulin resistance. Interestingly, it has been reported that rs10399931 (-329 G/A) of CHI3LI contributes to the inter-individual plasma YKL-40 levels in patients with sarcoidosis, and that rs4950928 (-131 C/G) is a susceptibility polymorphism for asthma and a decline in lung function. We hypothesized that single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) or haplotypes thereof the CHI3LI locus might influence risk of T2D. The aim of the present study was to investigate the putative association between SNPs and haplotype blocks of CHI3LI and T2D and T2D related quantitative traits.Eleven SNPs of CHI3LI were genotyped in 6514 individuals from the Inter99 cohort and 2924 individuals from the outpatient clinic at Steno Diabetes Center. In cas-control studies a total of 2345 T2D patients and 5302 individuals with a normal glucose tolerance test were examined. We found no association between rs10399931 (OR, 0.98 (CI, 0.88-1.10), p = 0.76), rs4950928 (0.98 (0.87-1.10), p = 0.68) or any of the other SNPs with T2D. Similarly, we found no significant association between any of the 11 tgSNPs and T2D related quantitative traits, all p>0.14. None of the identified haplotype blocks of CHI3LI showed any association with T2D, all p>0.16.None of the examined SNPs or haplotype blocks of CHI3LI showed any association with T2D or T2D related quantitative traits. Estimates of insulin resistance and dysregulated glucose homeostasis in T2D do not seem to be accounted for by the examined variations of CHI3LI

Outage probability of full-duplex MIMO relay networks with co-channel interference over Rayleigh fading channels [Ortak Kanal Karişimli Tam-Çift Yönlü Çok Antenli Röle Aglarinin Rayleigh Sönümlemeli Kanallarda Kesinti Olasiligi]

24th Signal Processing and Communication Application Conference, SIU 2016 -- 16 May 2016 through 19 May 2016 -- -- 122605In this work, the outage probability of dual-hop full-duplex amplify-and-forward MIMO relay network is examined in the presence of co-channel interference at the relay over Rayleigh fading channels. The source and destination are equipped with multiple antennas and the relay is equipped with single receive and single transmit antennas. The effects of Rayleigh faded multiple co-channel interferences and self-interference between transmit/receive antennas of the relay are considered. In this relay network, transmit antenna selection at the source and maximal-ratio combining technique at the destination are employed. The outage probability of the relay network is examined via Monte Carlo simulations. © 2016 IEEE

Poly(ethylene glycol dimethacrylate-co-1-vinyl-1,2,4-triazole/ carbon nanotube, single-walled)/n-GaAs diode formed by surface polymerization

Poly(ethylene glycol dimethacrylate-co-1-vinyl-1,2,4-triazole/carbon nanotube, single-walled)/n-GaAs ([P(EGDMA-VTAZ)-CNSW]/n-GaAs) diode was fabricated by using surface polymerization method. Electrical properties were carried out at several temperatures. Dark current mechanisms were investigated by using current-voltage (I-V) measurements. It was shown that the fabricated structure exhibited rectification behaviour that makes it a good candidate for electronic device applications

Evaluation of serum hyaluronic acid level and hyaluronidase activity in acute and chronic hepatitis C

Following major tissue injury, hyaluronic acid production increases as a. rapid response survival mechanism. Increased hyaluronic acid production and turnover are often associated with increased hyaluronidase activity, the enzyme that degrades hyaluronic acid. We investigated whether hyaluronic acid and hyaluronidase can be used as non-invasive markers of acute disease activity in hepatitis C by studying 26 patients with acute hepatitis C, 89 with chronic hepatitis C and 32 healthy controls. Chronic hepatitis C subjects were classified into five subgroups according to the stage of liver fibrosis. Serum aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase activities and hyaluronic acid levels were increased in hepatitis C patients compared with the controls. Serum hyaluronic acid elevation correlated with disease progression. Serum hyaluronidase activities were also increased in patients compared with the controls, but decreased with disease progression. We conclude that both hyaluronidase and hyaluronic acid may be useful as early non-invasive serum indicators of disease activity in acute hepatitis C

A case of giant ethmoidal osteoma with orbital invasion treated via endonasal endoscopic approach

Osteomas are the most common benign bone tumors of paranasal sinuses. In general, they are small and asymptomatic. They may lead to local symptoms such as nasal obstruction, headache and facial pain when they become large, besides more severe signs and symptoms due to orbital and cranial expansion. The treatment in symptomatic and rapidly-growing cases is surgery. In treatment of paranasal sinus osteomas, endoscopic or open surgical techniques, which may be applied according to mass dimensions and localization, are available. Endoscopic endonasal resection is a safe method with successful results and low morbidity. It causes no cosmetic problems. In this study, a giant ethmoidal sinus osteoma invading orbital wall and extending to skull base was reported. It was totally resected by endonasal endoscopic approach

The Electrical Properties of Au/P3HT/n-GaAs Schottky Barrier Diode

In this study, we investigated the electrical properties of the Au/P3HT/n-GaAs Schottky diode at room temperature by using current-voltage method. The values of ideality factor and barrier height of the diode were found to be 2.45 and 0.85 eV, respectively. n ideality factor greater than unity indicates that the diode exhibits non-ideal current-voltage behavior. This behavior results from the effect of series resistance and the presence of an interfacial layer. These values were also determined from the Cheung functions and the Norde method due to the non-ideal behavior of the diode and it was seen that there was an agreement with series resistance. Also the interface states energy distribution of the diode was determined from the forward bias I-V measurements by taking into account the bias dependence of the effective barrier height. The obtained electrical parameters of the Au/P3HT/n-GaAs Schottky diode are higher than that of the conventional Au/n-GaAs Schottky diodes

Prostate myths: What is the prostate awareness in the general male population in Turkey? [Prostat mitleri: Türkiye'deki genel erkek popülasyonundaki prostat farkındalığı nedir?]

Results: A total of 1004 men between the ages of 18-70 were included in the study (mean age 38.0±12.9 years). Of those included, 20.2% were primary school graduates, 8.6% were secondary school graduates, 25.5% were high school graduates, 39.8% were university graduates, and 5.8% had a doctorate or higher education. Of all 1004 men, 31.5% had seen a urologist or attended an interview with a close relative for a PDs-related visit in a urologist’s office; 56.2% reported “prostate” as a disease and only 16.5% as an organ. In terms of beliefs, 50.2% believed that all men had a “prostate,” 5.4% said that sexual activity would cause PDs, 13% thought that sexual activity would prevent PD, 24.9% reported that a rectal exam would affect sexual activity, and 63.5% believed that urinating when squatting would prevent prostate hyperplasia. Prostate cancer transmission to sexual partners was marked as true by 5% of the men. As many as 41.3% of the participants believed that early prostate surgery for BPH would prevent prostate cancer, and 13% reported that sexual activity ceases with prostate surgery and that retrograde ejaculation or anejaculation is the end of sexual activity in men.Conclusion: The survey clearly showed that prostate awareness is still very unsatisfactory in the Turkish male population and that urologists need to better inform the general population. PD knowledge is still lacking throughout all education levels. This is a unique study showing a cross-sectional analysis of the Turkish community; however, the applicability of these results to other communities should be evaluated.Material and methods: A cross-sectional population sampling was performed in the general population for men between the ages of 18-70 with a survey conducted by medical students. The survey consisted of 15 questions addressing different aspects of PDs and common misinformation in the general population. All participants were stratified according to age, degree of education, occupation and whether the person himself or a close relative had visited a urologist for PDs. All questionnaires were anonymous, and patients were informed about the confidentiality of the results.Objective: The aim of the study was to evaluate prostate awareness in the general male population and discover the common misinformation about prostate diseases (PDs). © 2014 by Turkish Association of Urology