The Evaluation of the Role of Beta-Hydroxy Fatty Acids on Chronic Inflammation and Insulin Resistance

β-hydroxy fatty acids are a major component of lipid A moiety of lipopolysaccaride. We aimed to investigate the role of free β-hydroxy fatty acids on inflammation, as well as to evaluate their effects on cytokine release from human blood cells, and whether they exist in plasma of patients with chronic inflammatory diseases with/without insulin resistance. Peripheral venous blood was incubated with β-hydroxy lauric and β-hydroxy myristic acids (each 100 ng, 1 μg, 10 μg/mL) up to 24 hours. Cytokines were measured from culture media and plasma. Free fatty acids and biochemical parameters were also measured from patients' plasma. Only β-hydroxy lauric acid significantly stimulated interleukin-6 production at 10 μg/mL compared to control (533.9 ± 218.1 versus 438.3 ± 219.6 pg/mL, P < .05). However, free β-hydroxy lauric and myristic acids were not found in patients' plasma. Therefore, free β-hydroxy lauric and myristic acids do not seem to have a role on sterile inflammation in chronic inflammatory diseases associated with insulin resistance

Quadripolar Left Ventricular Lead in a Patient with CRT-D Does Not Overcome Phrenic Nerve Stimulation

Effective cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) requires an accurate atrio-biventricular pacing system. The innovative Quartet lead is a quadripolar, over-the-wire left ventricular lead with four electrodes and has recently been designed to provide more options and greater control in pacing vector selection. A lead with multiple pacing electrodes is a potential alternative to physical adjustment of the lead and may help to overcome high thresholds and phrenic nerve stimulation (PNS)

A narrative review of the survival of dental implants placed simultaneously with lateral sinus floor elevations without the use of graft materials

This review aims to critically appraise the available evidence for the survival of implants placed simultaneously with sinus floor elevation without the use of grafting materials. The atrophic maxillary sinus may be restored with implants using a variety methods and adjunctive grafting techniques. The placement of implants in the atrophic maxillary sinus with and without bone grafting was reviewed in a systematic manner by considering the evidence presented in clinical studies. The initial search yielded 983 titles. Following title-based, abstract-based and full-text evaluation 12 studies were identified, reporting on 1353 implants. Analysis identified a 98.38% survival rate at the point of uncovering. A further 0.3% of remaining implants were lost after 12 months and another 0.01% after 24 months. Beyond this point there were no further reported implant failures. Data were comparable for both grafted and ungrafted sinuses, with implants in ungrafted sinuses appearing to have a marginally higher success rate (98.11% vs. 97.87%).This review of implant data studies confirms that placing dental implants into maxillary sinuses with a graftless approach yields comparable implant survival to those cases that are grafted. This suggests that there is scope to simplify treatment protocols, decrease the risk of infection while maintaining treatment success and increase patient acceptance of sinus lift procedure

Asymmetric intergroup bullying: the enactment and maintenance of societal inequality at work

What does inequality mean for dysfunctional organizational behaviours, such as workplace bullying? This article argues that workplace bullying can be understood as a manifestation of intergroup dynamics originating beyond the organization. We introduce the construct of asymmetric intergroup bullying: the disproportionate mistreatment of members of low status groups, with the intended effect of enhancing the subordination of that group in society at large. Analysis of data from 38 interviews with public and private sector workers in Turkey depicts a pattern of asymmetric intergroup bullying, undertaken to achieve organizational and broader sociopolitical goals. Respondents reported bullying acts used to get rid of unwanted personnel, with the goal of avoiding severance pay, or of removing supporters of the former government from positions of political and economic influence. Bullying was also described as working towards the dominance of the sociocultural worldview of one political group over another. We discuss asymmetric intergroup bullying as one mechanism through which acute intergroup hierarchy in the broader society corrupts management practice and employee interactions, in turn exacerbating economic inequality along group lines

The distance factor and effect of I.N.H. in fracture healing

In order to investigate the role of distance factor and the effect of I.N.H. on fracture healing, 48 femoral bones from 12 day old chicken embryos were used. The bones were cultivated in 8 Petri dishes. The distance between corresponding fracture surfaces was 1 mm in the first 2 Petri dishes. One of these 2 dishes contained Medium 199, and the other 1.75.?/cm3 I.N.H. added Medium 199. One Petri dish out of 8 contained 6 bones with a distance of 2 mm between corresponding fracture surfaces; the bones were cultivated in normal medium. In 2 Petri dishes the bones were cultivated in normal medium. In 2 Petri dishes the distance between corresponding bone surfaces was 3 mm; one dish contained the normal, and the other the I.N.H. added medium. One Petri dish was used for 4 mm distance, and 2 Petri dishes were used for 5 mm distance. One dish of the latter group contained the normal, and the other the I.N.H. added medium. The bones were cultivated for 11 days, changing and renewing the medium every 2 days. The cultivated bones were observed daily and afterwards examined with the phase contrast microscope and also histologically. The histologic sections were stained with H+E, and also with P.A.S., elastic and reticulum stains, Van Gieson and Masson's trichrome stains. The shorter the distance between corresponding fracture surfaces, the better, quicker and more complete was the fracture healing. As the distance increased, the chance of fracture healing decreased and also the presence of the osteoid substance. At the same time, in such cases the connection between corresponding fracture surfaces was too thin. Along with the distance factor, I.N.H. played a positive role in fracture healing. Particularly in the 3 mm distance cases, the connection between fracture surfaces was thicker, and also the number of healed bones was higher. The presence of osteoid substance in the healing site and also in parts to the corresponding fracture surfaces, especially in the 5 mm distance bones, was an interesting observation

A preliminary study about the ultrastructural changes in the fibroblasts according to the cultivation time

The authors examined the ultrastructural changes in the fibroblasts of the embryos of chicken in a monolayer cultivation in relation to the cultivation time. Without changing cultivation medium, observations were made after 24 hr, 48 and 96 hr. After 24 hr, it was seen that the ultrastructure of the fibroblasts in the chicken embryos looks like ultrastructure of the fibroblasts of a normal human being. After 48 hr, many more vesicles showing a lysosome character than in the observations made after 24 hr were seen in the cytoplasm of the cultivated fibroblasts. After 96 hr of cultivation the cytoplasm of the cells showed a very large number of vacuoles of different sizes. The observations made with an electron microscope confirmed the large number of cells at that time of the cultivation. The ultrastructural changes appearing at the different cultivation times are in relation with the normal physiological death of the cells. (Journal received: 17th May, 1974

Supersensitivity psychosis in a case with clozapine tolerance

WOS: 000311020700021PubMed ID: 23090814Despite its serious side effects, clozapine is still the golden standard in treatment of schizophrenia due to its effectiveness and lack of extrapyramidal side effects. Some studies have mentioned withdrawal symptoms, including withdrawal psychosis after stopping clozapine, and have tried to explain this severe symptom through dopamine receptor supersensitivity. This phenomenon, called supersensitivity psychosis, can be explained by the development of tolerance towards the effect of the medication. In literature, there are several cases of supersensitivity psychosis while using other neuroleptics. However, to our knowledge, there are no published cases reporting an association between clozapine and supersensitivity psychosis. The current patient, who has been diagnosed as resistant schizophrenia, responded well to the clozapine in the beginning of treatment. Due to an effective dose of clozapine, he had psychotic exacerbation with significant positive symptoms. We discuss the probable reasons causing this situation and the relationship between tolerance to the treatment effect and the dopamine supersensitivity