Magnetic resonance imaging study of corpus callosum abnormalities in patients with different subtypes of schizophrenia

Background. Reductions in the size of the corpus callosum (CC) have been described for schizophrenia patients, but little is known about the possible regional differences in schizophrenia subtypes (paranoid, disorganised, undifferentiated, residual).  Methods. We recruited 58 chronically schizophrenic patients with different subtypes, and 31 age-and-gender matched healthy controls. The callosum was extracted from a midsagittal slice from T1 weighted magnetic resonance images, and areas of the total CC, its five subregions, CC length and total brain volume were compared between schizophrenia subtypes and controls. Five subregions were approximately matched to fibre pathways from cortical regions.  Results. Schizophrenia patients had reduced CC total area and length when compared with controls. Disorganised and undifferentiated schizophrenics had a smaller prefrontal area, while there was no significant difference for the paranoid and residual groups. The premotor/supplementary motor area was smaller in all schizophrenia subtypes. The motor area was smaller only in the disorganised group. A smaller sensory area was found in all subtypes except the residual group. Parietal, temporal and occipital areas were smaller in the paranoid and undifferentiated groups. Total brain volume was smaller in all schizophrenia subtypes compared with controls, but did not reach statistical significance.  Conclusion. These findings suggest that the heterogeneity of symptoms may lead to the different CC morphological characteristics in schizophrenia subtypes

Identification of drought-induced genes from the leaves of Rangpur lime (Citrus limon (L) Osbeck)

WOS: 000418768500012Water stress is one of the limiting factors for citrus production and Citrus species show great variation in their response to drought stress. Although the majority of Citrus rootstocks are sensitive to water stress, Rangpur lime (Citrus limon (L) Osbeck) (RL) shows a high degree of drought tolerance. Therefore, it has been used as a rootstock in drought-prone environments, but mechanisms of drought tolerance are not yet known. in this study, to explore the mechanisms of drought adaptation and tolerance, a subtractive cDNA library was constructed from the leaves of 14-day drought-stressed and non-stressed RL for identification of drought-induced genes. 285 cDNA sequences were obtained from randomly selected clones from the subtracted library containing the drought-induced genes. the expression analyses of 200 cDNAs in 14-day drought treated and untreated RL by macroarray hybridisation revealed that the expression of 56 cDNAs increased two to 11-fold. 30 non-redundant drought-induced genes were identified from these cDNAs and drought induction of eight selected genes was confirmed by a real-time RT-PCR assay suggesting that expressions of these genes were regulated by drought-stress. Genes identified in this study were mostly related with cell rescue and defense pathways involved in drought adaptation and tolerance of RL.Turkiye Bilimsel ve Teknolojik Arastirma KurumuTurkiye Bilimsel ve Teknolojik Arastirma Kurumu (TUBITAK) [106O549]This work was supported by the Turkiye Bilimsel ve Teknolojik Arastirma Kurumu [106O549]

Cinsler Arası Melez Bir Turunçgil Popülasyonunda Çekirdeksizlik ve Çok Embriyoluluk Özelliklerinin İstatiksel ve Genetiksel Analizleri

Bu çalışmada turunçgillerde anaçlar için önemli bir özelik olan çok embriyoluluk ve önemli bir meyve kriteri olan çekirdeksizlik özelliklerinin kalıtımı cinsler arası karmaşık melez bir popülasyon kullanılarak analiz edilmiştir. Yapılan analizler sonucunda 48 ağaçtan 27’si tamamen çekirdekli meyve verirken 7 tanesinin meyvelerinin tamamının çekirdeksiz olduğu belirlenmiştir. Geriye kalan 14 ağacın ise hem çekirdekli hem de çekirdeksiz meyve verdiği saptanmıştır. Çekirdekli ve çekirdeksiz meyve veren ağaçların sayılarının 1:1, 2:1 ve 3:1 genetik ayrışma oranlarına uyduğunu gösteren sonuçlar çekirdekliliğin bir veya birkaç genle kontrol edildiğini önermektedir. Meyvelerden elde edilen çekirdeklerin içerdikleri embriyo sayıları incelendiğinde 48 ağaçtan alınan meyvelerin hiç birinin tamamen tek embriyolu veya tamamen çok embriyolu çekirdek içermediği belirlenmiştir. Popülasyondaki tüm bireylerin %4 ile %92 arasında değişen oranlarda çok embriyoluluk gösterdiği ve ortalama çok embriyoluluk oranının %51,4 olduğu tespit edilmiştir. Bu popülasyonun bireylerinin çok embriyoluluk oranlarının normal dağılım göstermesi bireylerin bu özellik açısından aralıksız çeşitlilik (varyasyon) gösterdiğine işaret ederek çok embriyoluluğun çok genle kontrol edilen kantitatif bir özellik olduğunu göstermektedir

DNA Damage in AML-12 Hepatocytes and 3T3-L1 Adipocytes Treated with Clopidogrel

Background: Clopidogrel has been commonly prescribed as a selective P2Y(12) receptor antagonist to reduce heart attack and stroke risk. Nearly 10% of absorbed clopidogrel is metabolized to active forms by cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes in the liver and 90% to inactive clopidogrel carboxylate by esterases

Emergency Department Overcrowding in Turkey: Reasons, Facts and Solutions

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to determine the factors affecting the long waiting times of the patients in a university hospital. Methods: This study included 3000 of the adults above 18 years and pediatric trauma patients under 18 years who applied to emergency department between February 2009 and April 2009. The examination period of the physician, length of stay, length of hospitalization, waiting times for hospitalization and follow up times in the emergency department were recorded. Moreover, the patients were divided into four groups according to the reasons for waiting. Results: In our study, the time period between 4 pm-12 pm was determined as the busiest time for the applications. Average length of stay in the emergency department for 3000 patients was 146.7±160.2 minutes. The length of stay for the patients consulted was longer than the length of stay for the ones who were not consulted. Because of the fact that our hospital did not have appropriate bed capacity, 41.1% of the patients waited less than two hours, 13. 4% of the patients waited more than 8 hours. It was also found that the waiting times of the Group two patients (206,7±145,2 minutes) was longer than Group one (95,5±73,9 minutes) patients and the waiting times of Group three patients (470,7±364,7 minutes) was longer than Group one patients. Conclusions: In conclusion, cooperation of the managers, relevant departments and a multidisciplinary approach are necessary to achieve the goals to reduce overcrowding in the emergency departments.  Keywords: bed capacity; crowding; emergency department; length of stay.

Emergency Department Overcrowding in Turkey: Reasons, Facts and Solutions

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to determine the factors affecting the long waiting times of the patients in a university hospital. 
 Methods: This study included 3000 of the adults above 18 years and pediatric trauma patients under 18 years who applied to emergency department between February 2009 and April 2009. The examination period of the physician, length of stay, length of hospitalization, waiting times for hospitalization and follow up times in the emergency department were recorded. Moreover, the patients were divided into four groups according to the reasons for waiting. 
 Results: In our study, the time period between 4 pm-12 pm was determined as the busiest time for the applications. Average length of stay in the emergency department for 3000 patients was 146.7±160.2 minutes. The length of stay for the patients consulted was longer than the length of stay for the ones who were not consulted. Because of the fact that our hospital did not have appropriate bed capacity, 41.1% of the patients waited less than two hours, 13. 4% of the patients waited more than 8 hours. It was also found that the waiting times of the Group two patients (206,7±145,2 minutes) was longer than Group one (95,5±73,9 minutes) patients and the waiting times of Group three patients (470,7±364,7 minutes) was longer than Group one patients. 
 Conclusions: In conclusion, cooperation of the managers, relevant departments and a multidisciplinary approach are necessary to achieve the goals to reduce overcrowding in the emergency departments. 
 Keywords: bed capacity; crowding; emergency department; length of stay. &#13

The effects of glipizide on DNA damage and nuclear transport in differentiated 3T3-L1 adipocytes

Background Despite commonly use for treatment of type II diabetes, possible effects of glipizide on nuclear transport and DNA damage in cells are unknown. Since clinical response of glipizide may change with aging, the aim of the study was to investigate the effect of glipizide by comparing mature and senescent adipocytes. Methods and results The effects of glipizide were investigated in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Effective and lethal doses were determined by real-time monitoring iCELLigence system. Comet assay was performed to determine DNA damage and quantitative PCR was conducted to detect gene expression levels. RAN expressions were found to be up regulated in mature 180 mu M glipizide treated adipocytes compared to control group (p < 0.05); whereas down regulated in senescent 180 mu M glipizide treated adipocytes compared to their control adipocytes (p < 0.05). Olive Tail Moment values were significantly higher in mature 180 mu M glipizide treated adipocytes (MTG) and senescent 180 mu M glipizide treated adipocytes (STG) comparing their untreated controls (p < 0.001 and p < 0.001 respectively). Also class 5 comets that shows severe DNA damage were found to be higher in both MTG and STG groups than their controls (p < 0.001 and p < 0.001, respectively). OTM values were higher in STG than MTG (p < 0.001). Conclusions This is the first study that reports glipizide caused DNA damage increasing with senescence in adipocytes. As a response to glipizide treatment Ran gene expression increased in mature; and decreased in senescent adipocytes. Further studies are needed to reveal the effect of glipizide on DNA and nuclear interactions in molecular level

Bilateral Knee Pain Associated with Bone Infarction in a Patient with Behcet's Disease

We describe a 31-years-old female patient with severe pain in both knees who had been diagnosed as Behcet’s disease (BD) for 12 years. She had had a history of complications due to BD including superior vena cava thrombosis, pulmonary thromboembolism, uveitis, and erythema nodosum and has reported the administration of corticosteroid therapy irregularly. After radiologic evaluation, she has been diagnosed with bone infarction of both left and right knee with the existance of lupus anticoagulants (LA) positivity. Severe joint pain without the evidence of arthritis must alert the clinician to the possibility of bone necrosis of the extremity, although those may rarely occur bilateral in BD

Psychological health of caregivers and association with functional status of stroke patients

Conclusion: Caregivers had an impaired emotional state and the level of their anxiety was associated with the severity of functional disability of the patients. Therefore, the support provided to the caregiver might be influential on the functional recovery of the patients

Assessment of sexual function and quality of life in patients with lower limb amputations

CONCLUSION: The present study suggests that the LLA leads to impairments in the sexual function and quality of life in male patients. Also, sexual dysfunction in patients is strongly associated with emotional state, pain, level of amputation and quality of life