Evaluation of Subclinical Left Ventricular Systolic Dysfunction in Chronic Asymptomatic Alcoholics by Speckle Tracking Echocardiography

By using two-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography, we aimed to investigate the structural and functional changes on myocardium in chronic asymptomatic alcoholics without any cardiovascular disease. Forty-one consecutive asymptomatic male alcoholics who were admitted to the outpatient alcoholism unit and 30 age matched healthy male volunteers selected as the control group were enrolled in the study. The study group were investigated by using standard two-dimensional echocardiography and speckle tracking echocardiography. The left ventricular (LV) global longitudinal strain and LV global circumferential strain were significantly lower in alcoholics when compared with control subjects. There was no difference in global radial strain between the two groups. To demonstrate the effect of total life time dose of ethanol (TLDE) on echocardiographic abnormalities, we assessed the correlation analysis. There was a nonsignificant weak correlation between global LV circumferential strain and TLDE (r=0.27, p=0.083). Speckle tracking echocardiography derived left ventricular systolic function was impaired in chronic alcoholic patients when compared with healthy controls

Calculation of an Optic Nerve Injury Risk Profile Before Sphenoid Sinus Surgery

Kucuk, Mehmet Fatih/0000-0002-2548-7869WOS: 000405399600003PubMed: 27906848Objectives: Our objective was to analyze variations in the optic nerve (ON) course and surrounding structures in an effort to construct an optic nerve injury risk profile before endoscopic intranasal sphenoidal, or endoscopic endonasal transphenoidal, skull-base surgery, and eventually to construct and formulate a common classification by combining the known classes. The authors used computed tomography (CT) toward this end. Methods: The authors retrospectively reviewed 200 consecutive CT scans (400 sides) of the paranasal sinuses. The pneumatization of the anterior clinoid process, the relationships of the ONs to the sphenoidal sinuses, and ON dehiscence were evaluated. The authors then created a formula by which risk profiles can be constructed for patients for whom sphenoid or parasellar surgery is planned. Results: Pneumatization of the anterior clinoid process was evident in 28.25%. Dehiscence of the bony wall of the ON was evident in 9.5%. The ON course lay adjacent to the sphenoidal sinus, causing sinus wall indentation, in 23%. Cumulative optic nerve injury risk scoring showed that, radiologically, surgery on 8.5% and 1.5% of sphenoid sinuses described here carried severe or critical risk of ON injury, respectively. Conclusions: Head-and-neck surgeons and neurosurgeons should be aware of variations in ON course. The authors composed an optic nerve injury risk classification category based on the sum of individual weights of each of these classes. Reductions in ON injuries require careful evaluation of potential variant anatomies. Preoperative CT scans must be meticulously reviewed to avoid ON injury

Endophthalmitis in Retinopathy of Prematurity after Intravitreal Aflibercept Injection

We report the case of a male infant who had an intravitreal anti-VEGF (aflibercept) injection for the treatment of retinopathy of prematurity at 35-week postmenstrual age. Four days following the injection, retinal imaging demonstrated a yellowish gray blurred mass that extended into the vitreous in the right eye, and the vitreous body was blurred. After two days, despite starting endophthalmitis treatment, there was still no improvement in the retinal lesion. Due to the worsening of the clinical signs, we decided to perform 25-gauge lens-sparing pars plana vitrectomy

PULMONARY HYPERTENSION IN PERITONEAL DIALYSIS PATIENTS: PREVALENCE AND RISK FACTORS

Aim: To investigate the prevalence of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and the possible contributing factors for PAH in patients receiving regular continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD)

Purification and characterization of the carbonic anhydrase enzyme from horse mackerel (Trachurus trachurus) muscle and the impact of some metal ions and pesticides on enzyme activity

In this paper, the total carbonic anhydrase (CA) enzyme was purified from horse mackerel (Trachurus trachurus) muscle with a specific activity of 23,063.93 EU/mg, purification fold of 551.08, total activity of 1522.22 EU/mL and a yield of 18.50\% using sulfanilamide affinity column chromatography. For obtaining the subunit molecular mass and enzyme purity, sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) for this part was performed and a single band was clearly recorded. The molecular mass of this enzyme was found approximately 35 kDa. The optimum temperature and pH values were obtained from Arrhenius plot. In addition, the inhibitory effects of different heavy metal ions (Fe2+, Cu2+, Co2+, Pb2+ Hg2+ and As3+) and some pesticides (thiram, clofentezine, propineb, deltamethrin, azoxystrobin and thiophanate) on horse mackerel (Trachurus trachurus) muscle tissue CA enzyme activities were investigated by utilizing esterase assay activity. The used metal ions and pesticides had IC50 values in the range of 0.21-13.84 mM and 3.78-70.58 mM, respectively