Relationship Between Xanthine Oxidoreductase Activity and BRCA1 Levels in Patients with Stage IIIA and IIIB Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Being Treated with Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy

Objective: Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Treatment in locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is heterogeneous. The cure rates after complete surgical resections are not as good as expected. A better understanding of the biology of NSCLC might allow the selection of appropriate treatment. Only a few studies have been carried out on the prognostic value of xanthine oxidoreductase (XOR) and BRCA1 in lung cancer. Material and Methods: In this study, 35 patients with stage IIIA and stage IIIB of NSCLC were included. They were operated in Baskent Ankara and Adana hospitals and received neoadjuvant chemotherapy. The regular follow-up of all the patients was done in Baskent University Medical Oncology, Thoracic Surgery Department. The clinical and histopathological parameters (age, gender, stage, smoking history, performance status, and neoadjuvant chemotherapy), along with the immunohistochemical study of BRCA1 and XOR staining, were examined, and correlated with survival outcomes. Results: Median overall survival time was reported as 38.5 months, and 5-year survival rate was 33%. The presence of BRCA1 was positively associated with shorter overall survival in stage III lung cancer patients, who were followed up with the neoadjuvant platinum-based chemotherapy regime (p<0.05). There was no relation between XOR activity and overall survival outcomes. Conclusion: BRCA1-positive status might be prognostic in patients with Stage IIIA and IIIB of NSCLC

Relationship between Hba1c and blood glucose level in hemodialysis patients with diabetes mellitus

Within in the scope of this study, a researchwas aimed at the relationship between HbA1c markersand blood glucose levels with DM, chronic renal failureand receiving dialysis treatment.Methods: In this study, monthly glucose levels and quarterlyHbA1c markers of 131 patients (53 female, 78 male)receiving dialysis treatment in a private dialysis centerbetween January 1, 2009-July 31, 2010 were evaluatedretrospectively.Results: The average age of 131 cases was 63.3±11.2years (range, 30-91). Gender distribution of the cases: 53female (40.5%), 78 male (59.5%). While the age averageof the females was 62.2±11.2 and the males’ was64.1±11.2. The average glucose level of the females andmales have a correlation to average HbA1c (Female:p<0.001, r=0.761, Males: p<0.001, r=0.743). The averageglucose level of the both case groups have a correlationto average HbA1c (p<0.001, r=0.755). While 32.8%of the examined HbA1c results were observed underthe level 6,5%, and 67.2% of the examined results wereobserved above the level 6.5%. While 18.3% of the preprandialblood glucose levels were obtained under 126mg/dl level, and 81.3% of the results were obtained above126 mg/dl level. It has been observed that the mean bloodglucose level has a correlation to average HbA1c level.Conclusion: The measurement of HbA1c and blood glucose(pre-prandial and postprandial) and the correlationbetween them, by virtue of the fact that, are vitally importantin cardiovascular mortality and morbidity, monitorof DM for the dialysis patients with diabetic nephropathy.Key words: Hemodialysis, diabetes mellitus, HbA1

Anxiety levels of healthcare personnel in different stages of COVID-19 pandemic: A nationwide study from Turkey

Aim: SARS CoV-2 transmission in healthcare personnel was first reported on January 20, 2020. The aim of this study was to evaluate the anxiety levels experienced by healthcare personnel in Turkey during the COVID-19 pandemic and the factors affecting these levels.Material and Methods: A survey investigating sociodemographic features and examining anxiety levels was conducted among approximately 1000 healthcare personnel who were expected to take active roles in the pandemic across Turkey. The survey was conducted in three stages: before the pandemic spread to Turkey, at the beginning of the pandemic and when the pandemic became prominent. A logistic regression analysis was performed to determine the factors affecting anxiety and predictors of anxiety levels.Results: In the first survey, always (odds ratio, 15.781; p<0.01) and often (odds ratio, 5.365; p<0.05) media use, in the second survey media use (p<0.05) and profession (odds ratio, 0.021; p<0.05) and in the third survey, marital status (odds ratio, 17.716; p<0.01) and gender (odds ratio, 4.431; p<0.05) were determined as the predictors of anxiety related to COVID-19.Discussion: As a result of this study, healthcare personnel groups were defined (women, nurses, married people) who need special intervention and support to provide spiritual comfort when working on the front line in the fight against COVID-19. Further comprehensive studies are needed of the extent of psychological support required by healthcare personnel and to whom and how this support should be provided

Is there a link between pre-existing antibodies acquired due to childhood vaccinations or past infections and COVID-19? A case control study

Background: There is growing evidence indicating that children are less affected from COVID-19. Some authors speculate that childhood vaccinations may provide some cross-protection against COVID-19. In this study, our aim was to compare the circulating antibody titers for multiple childhood vaccine antigens, as an indicator of the state of immune memory between patients with COVID-19 and healthy controls, with a specific aim to identify the association between disease severity and antibody titrations which may indicate a protective function related to vaccine or disease induced memory. Methods: This study is a case-control study including 53 patients with COVID-19 and 40 healthy volunteers. COVID-19 severity was divided into three groups: asymptomatic, mild and severe. We measured the same set of antibody titers for vaccine antigens, and a set of biochemical and infection markers, in both the case and control groups. Results: Rubella (p = 0.003), pneumococcus (p = 0.002), and Bordetella pertussis (p 0.0001) titers were found to be significantly lower in the case group than the control group. There was a significant decline in pneumococcus titers with severity of disease (p = 0.021) and a significant association with disease severity for Bordetella pertussis titers (p = 0.014) among COVID patients. Levels of AST, procalcitonin, ferritin and D-dimer significantly increased with the disease severity Discussion: Our study supports the hypothesis that pre-existing immune memory, as monitored using circulating antibodies, acquired from childhood vaccinations, or past infections confer some protection against COVID-19. Randomized controlled studies are needed to support a definitive conclusion. © 2021 PeerJ Inc.. All rights reserved

Hatay ilinden seçilen badem gentoplerinin pomolojik ve kimyasal özellikleri

This study was conducted to determine some pomological and chemical characteristics of 19 almond genotypes in term of found to be promising in yield and quality attributes. Selected from natural almond populations of Hatay province and district (Belen, Antakya, Yayladağı, Altınözü, Hassa) and shelled fruit weights of selected promising genotypes varied between 1.55 g (HTY-28) - 6.34 g (HTY-67); kernel weights varied between 0.61 g (HTY-25) - 1.29 g (HTY-67); kernel ratios varied between 15.99% (HTY-17) - 50.46% (HTY-28); double-kernel ratios varied between 0.00% - 16.67%; empty fruit ratios varied between 0.00% - 13.33%; total oil contents varied between 44.65% (HTY-40) -54.56% (HTY-14); protein contents varied between 19.59% (HTY-27) - 33.79% (HTY-57).Bu çalışma, Hatay ili ve ilçelerindeki (Belen, Antakya, Yayladağı, Altınözü, Hassa) doğal badem popülasyonlarından seçilen verim ve kalite özellikleri bakımından ümitvar bulunan 19 badem genotipinin bazı pomolojik ve kimyasal özellikleri belirlenmiştir. Seçilen ümitvar genotiplerin kabuklu meyve ağırlıkları 1.55 g (HTY-28) - 6.34 g (HTY-67); iç meyve ağırlıkları 0.61 g (HTY-25) - 1.29 g (HTY-67); iç meyve oranı %15.99 (HTY-17) - %50.46 (HTY-28); çift meyve oranı %0,00 - %16,67; boş meyve oranları %0,00 -%13,33; toplam yağ içeriği %44.65 (HTY-40) - %54.56 (HTY-14); protein içerikleri %19.59 (HTY-27) -%33.79 (HTY-57) arasında değişmiştir

Hepatosellüler karsinomalı hastalarda p53 kodon 72 ve mdm2 snp309 gen polimorfizimlerinin sıklığı ve tümöre ait karakteristiklerle karşılaştırılması

TEZ7077Tez (Uzmanlık) -- Çukurova Üniversitesi, Adana, 2008.Kaynakça (s.99-111) var.ix, 112 s. : res. ; 29 cm.Background and aims: The p53 tumor suppressor pathway plays an important role in cancer development. Murine double minute 2 (MDM2) gene is playing critical role in regulating tumor suppressor function of this pathway. A single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the MDM2 in the intronic promoter, SNP309 was shown to be associated with both hereditary and sporadic cancers in humans. In addition, the wildtype p53 gene exhibits a polymorphism at codon 72 in exon 4, that causes a substitution of proline for arginine (Arg72Pro) and this substitution was shown to be related with different types of cancers in humans. In this study, we aim to determine the frequency and the association of MDM2 SNP309 and p53 Arg72Pro polymorphism in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.Amaç: p53 tümör süpressör yolağı kanser gelişiminde önemli rol oynar. Murine double minute 2 (MDM2) geni p53 tümör süpressör yolağının düzenlenmesinde kritik bir role sahiptir. MDM2 geninin intronik promoter'ında bulanan tek nükleotid polimorfizmi, SNP309 T>G'nin hem kalıtsal hemde spdoradik kanserlele ilişkisi olduğu gösterilmiştir. Bununla birlikte wild-tip p53 geninde ekzon 4 kodon 72'de arjinin aminoasitinin prolin aminoasitine dönüşümüne (Arg72Pro) neden olan tek nükleotid polimorfizminin insanda değişik tip kanserlele ilişkisinin olduğu gösterilmiştir. Biz bu çalışmada hepatosellüler karsinomalı hastalarda MDM2 SNP309 ve p53 Arg72Pro polimorfizmlerinin sıklıklarının ve bu polimorfizmlerin tümöre ait karakteristiklerle ilişkisinin araştırılmasını amaçladık.Bu çalışma Ç.Ü. Bilimsel Araştırma Projeleri Birimi Tarafından Desteklenmiştir. Proje No:TF2007LTP1

Metastatik kolorektal karsinomlu hastalarda bevacizumab kullanımının hipertansiyon gelişmesi ve serum vasküler endotelyal büyüme faktörü, nitrik oksit, anjiyotensin II düzeyleri üzerindeki etkisi ve tedaviye yanıt ile olan ilişkisi

Kolorektal kanser dünya genelinde en sık görülen üçüncü kanser olup akciğer kanserinden sonra en sık ölüme yol açan kanserdir(1,2,3) Kanserden ölümlerin yaklaşık %10’nunu oluşturur. Son 20 yılda tarama programları, tanısal yöntemlerdeki, moleküler onkolojide gelişmeler, daha etkin sitotoksik kemoterapiler, hedefe yönelik tedaviler ve kişiye özgü tedavilerin ortaya çıkması ve daha yaygın kullanılmasıyla kolorektal kansere bağlı ölüm sıklığı belirgin olarak azalmıştır. Bu tedavilerden birisi olan bevacizumab her ne kadar bir sitostatik kemoterapi olmasa da mortaliteyle sonuçlanabilecek yan etkilere sahip bir moleküldür. Prognostik ve prediktif belirteçlerin hem sonlanım hem tedaviye yanıtın öngörülmesi hem de toksisitenin engellenmesi açısından önem kazandığı günümüzde biz de bevacizumab kullanan metastatik kolorektal kanserli hastalarda bevacizumab tedavisinin tedavi öncesi ve tedavinin 3. ayında serum VEGF, Nitrik Oksit (NO) ve Anjiyotensin (Ang II) düzeyleri üzerindeki etkisine ayrıca bu durumun hipertansiyon gelişimiyle arasındaki ilişkisini ve tümör yanıtıyla olan ilişkisini araştırdık. Çalışmaya Başkent Üniversitesi Adana Uygulama Araştırma Merkezinde takip edilen 24 metastatik kolorektal kanserli hasta dahil edildi. . Hastaların 15’i (%62,5) erkek, 9’u (%37,5) kadındı. VEGF düzeyleri arasındaki değişim istatiksel olarak anlamlı olarak düşme eğilimi şeklinde saptanırken(p= 0,009), NO ve ANG II düzeyleri açısından istatiksel olarak anlamlı bir farklılık saptanmadı. 6 siklus tedavi sonrası VEGF düzeyleri tümör cevabıyla ilişkili olarak saptandı. (p= 0,014) Hastalar hipertansiyon gelişimi yönünden incelendiğinde 1 hastada (%4.2) hipertansiyon gelişmezken, 5 hastada (%20.8) prehipertansiyon, 15 hastada (%62.5) evre 1 hipertansiyon ve 3 hastada (%12.5) evre 2 hipertansiyon geliştiği saptandı. Proteinüri yönünden incelendiğinde 6 doz tedavi sonrası hastaların 6’sında (%25) mikroalbumüniri geliştiği gözlendi. Genel olarak progresyonsuz sağ kalım ortancası 18.1 ay olarak bulundu. Hiçbir parametrenin hastalıksız sağ kalımla ilişkisi saptanmadı (p> 0.05). Sonuç olarak 6 siklus tedavi sonrası serum VEGF düzeyleri tümör cevabıyla ilişkiliyken, VEGF, NO ve ANG II düzeyleri veya hipertansiyon gelişimi progresyonsuz sağ kalımla ilişkili değildir. Bu konuda daha kesin sonuçlar için daha büyük hasta gruplarında yapılacak daha fazla çalışmaya ihtiyaç olduğu düşünülmektedir