The validity of eight neoclassical facial canons in the Turkish adults

The neoclassical canons were used to define the proportions between various areas of the head and face. Therefore, this study was done to establish the neoclassical canons of facial proportions in Turkish adults. A total of 200 healthy adults 20 to 35 years of age were examined. Using anthropometric landmarks, 5 horizontal and 9 vertical direct measurements were made on the faces with a sliding calliper. Results have been compared with 8 neoclassical facial canons. When comparing between sexes, a significant difference has been found in all measurements except the upper facial width, left eye-fissure width, forehead height I and II (p < 0.005). The nasofacial proportion has been found to include the most proportional subjects (33%) followed by the orbito-nasal (30%), the orbital proportion (25%) and the naso-oral proportion (17%) in the female. Considering the male, the orbital proportion has been found to include the most proportional subjects (23%) followed by the orbito-nasal proportion (21%), naso-facial proportion (19%) and the naso-oral proportion (17%). The neoclassical canons have been shown to rarely be applicable to Turkish adults and our results may contribute to determine the concepts of transcultural facial structures

Histopathological effects of maternal hair dye use on the cornea

The aim of this study is to investigate and compare the histopathological effects of hair dye additives, 2- amino-5-nitrophenol (2A5NP) and 2-nitro-p-phenylendiamin (2NPPD) on cornea of neonates from pregnant rats that have been administered these additives subcutaneously. The study included 90 neonates of 26 nulligravida wistar-albino rats among which ten were given 100 mg/kg/day 2A5NP (Group I), ten rats received 150 mg/kg/day 2NPPD (Group II) and control rats received saline (Group III) injections subcutaneously between 7th and 15th gestational days. No sign of toxicity was observed during the treatment and there was no gross abnormality in both the study and control groups. Histopathologicalchanges of cornea were seen in 22 of 30 newborn rats in Group I (73.4%), in 23 of 30 rats in Group II (76.7%) and only 5 of 30 rats in the control saline injected Group III (16.7%). Histopathological effect of the two additives were statistically significant when compared to the control group (Chi-square:27.63, p = 0.0001), but there was no difference between the effects of 2A5NP and 2NPPD additives on cornea (Chisquare: 0.089, p = 0.766). The present experimental study on rats confirmed the histopathological effect of 2A5NP and 2NPPD on cornea beyond doubt. In the light of which, we can speculate that maternal exposure of hair dyes during pregnancy has some teratogenic effects on newborn rat cornea

Myeloperoxidase enzyme levels and oxidative stress in bipolar disorders

Oxidative stress and generalized inflammatory state are features of bipolar disorders (BD). The objective of this study was to compare the levels of products of inflammatory reaction and oxidative stress markers in patients with bipolar disorders and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and to determine the relationship between oxidative stress and inflammation in bipolar disorders. ADHD+BD (n = 30) and BD (n = 30) and healthy controls (n = 30) were enrolled. A clinical evaluation andmeasurements of malondialdehyde (MDA), high sensitive C reactive protein (hsCRP) and myeloperoxidase (MPO) were performed. Patients with BD+ADHD comorbidity had significantly higher mean MPO levels than BD. Patients with BD had significantly higher mean hsCRP levels than healthy controls. However, there was no significant difference in mean serum hsCRP levels between patients with BD+ADHD and healthy controls. Patients with BD and BD+ADHD had significantly higher mean MDA levels than healthy controls. Our data showed that there is an increased susceptibility to oxidative stress which is strongly related to the serum levels of MDA produced in the serum. hsCRP levels were higher in BD patients than in BD+ADHD and this is suggestive of a higher degree of inflammatory activity in BD patients. ADHD+BD comorbidity seems to augment oxidative stress which is expressed as increased MPO level in the present study. Further large scale studies are needed to extend ourresults

Assessment of left ventricular diastolic function in children after successful repair of aortic coarctation

The purpose of the study was an assessment of left ventricular diastolic function in children after the successful repair of aortic coarctation (CoA). The prospective study concerned 32 pediatric patients after the CoA surgery. Tissue Doppler imaging parameters including strain and strain rate and the conventional echocardiographic indexes were analyzed in patients and healthy controls. Analysis of mitral annulus velocities, E–E′ ratio, strain, and strain rate of left ventricular mid-cavity segments and conventional indexes of mitral inflow showed the worsening of left ventricular diastolic mechanics in the study group compared to healthy controls. The E/E′ ratio was significantly higher in the study group compared to the control group (8.30 ± 3.24 vs. 6.95 ± 1.36; p < 0.05). The early diastolic strain rate to late diastolic strain rate ratio as well as early to late diastolic strain ratio of the left ventricular mid-cavity segments were significantly lower in the study group compared to healthy controls (1.81 ± 0.63 vs. 3.74 ± 1.53; p < 0.001 and 1.20 ± 0.49 vs. 3.41 ± 1.26; p < 0.001). No differences of the pulmonary venous flow parameters between those two groups were observed. The left ventricular diastolic mechanics in hypertensive patients after CoA repair did not differ from normotensive subjects. Hypertensive and normotensive children after surgical repair of CoA are found to have worsening of the left ventricular diastolic mechanics suggesting the impairment of the active myocardial relaxation

Preoperative predictors for residual tumor after surgery in patients with ovarian carcinoma

Objectives: Suboptimal debulking (>1 cm residual tumor) results in poor survival rates for patients with an advanced stage of ovarian cancer. The purpose of this study was to develop a prediction model, based on simple preoperative parameters, for patients with an advanced stage of ovarian cancer who are at risk of suboptimal cytoreduction despite maximal surgical effort. Methods: Retrospective analysis of 187 consecutive patients with a suspected clinical diagnosis of advanced-stage ovarian cancer undergoing upfront debulking between January 1998 and December 2003. Preoperative parameters were Karnofsky performance status, ascites and serum concentrations of CA 125, hemoglobin, albumin, LDH and blood platelets. The main outcome parameter was residual tumor >1 cm. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression was employed for testing possible prediction models. A clinically applicable graphic model (nomogram) for this prediction was to be developed. Results: Serum concentrations of CA 125 and blood platelets in the group with residual tumor >1 cm were higher in comparison to the optimally cytoreduced group (p 1 cm based on serum levels of CA 125 and albumin was established. Conclusion: Postoperative residual tumor despite maximal surgical effort can be predicted by preoperative CA 125 and serum albumin levels. With a nomogram based on these two parameters, probability of postoperative residual tumor in each individual patient can be predicted. This proposed nomogram may be valuable in daily routine practice for counseling and to select treatment modality. Copyrigh

Left ventricular remodeling in swine after myocardial infarction: a transcriptional genomics approach

Despite the apparent appropriateness of left ventricular (LV) remodeling following myocardial infarction (MI), it poses an independent risk factor for development of heart failure. There is a paucity of studies into the molecular mechanisms of LV remodeling in large animal species. We took an unbiased molecular approach to identify candidate transcription factors (TFs) mediating the genetic reprogramming involved in post-MI LV remodeling in swine. Left ventricular tissue was collected from remote, non-infarcted myocardium, 3 weeks after MI-induction or sham-surgery. Microarray analysis identified 285 upregulated and 278 downregulated genes (FDR < 0.05). Of these differentially expressed genes, the promoter regions of the human homologs were searched for common TF binding sites (TFBS). Eighteen TFBS were overrepresented >two-fold (p < 0.01) in upregulated and 13 in downregulated genes. Left ventricular nuclear protein extracts were assayed for DNA-binding activity by protein/DNA array. Out of 345 DNA probes, 30 showed signal intensity changes >two-fold. Five TFs were identified in both TFBS and protein/DNA array analyses, which showed matching changes for COUP-TFII and glucocorticoid receptor (GR) only. Treatment of swine with the GR antagonist mifepristone after MI reduced the post-MI increase in LV mass, but LV dilation remained unaffected. Thus, using an unbiased approach to study post-MI LV remodeling in a physiologically relevant large animal model, we identified COUP-TFII and GR as potential key mediators of post-MI remodeling

Improved functionalization of oleic acid-coated iron oxide nanoparticles for biomedical applications

Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles can providemultiple benefits for biomedical applications in aqueous environments such asmagnetic separation or magnetic resonance imaging. To increase the colloidal stability and allow subsequent reactions, the introduction of hydrophilic functional groups onto the particles’ surface is essential. During this process, the original coating is exchanged by preferably covalently bonded ligands such as trialkoxysilanes. The duration of the silane exchange reaction, which commonly takes more than 24 h, is an important drawback for this approach. In this paper, we present a novel method, which introduces ultrasonication as an energy source to dramatically accelerate this process, resulting in high-quality waterdispersible nanoparticles around 10 nmin size. To prove the generic character, different functional groups were introduced on the surface including polyethylene glycol chains, carboxylic acid, amine, and thiol groups. Their colloidal stability in various aqueous buffer solutions as well as human plasma and serum was investigated to allow implementation in biomedical and sensing applications.status: publishe

Recommendations for the quantitative analysis of landslide risk

This paper presents recommended methodologies for the quantitative analysis of landslide hazard, vulnerability and risk at different spatial scales (site-specific, local, regional and national), as well as for the verification and validation of the results. The methodologies described focus on the evaluation of the probabilities of occurrence of different landslide types with certain characteristics. Methods used to determine the spatial distribution of landslide intensity, the characterisation of the elements at risk, the assessment of the potential degree of damage and the quantification of the vulnerability of the elements at risk, and those used to perform the quantitative risk analysis are also described. The paper is intended for use by scientists and practising engineers, geologists and other landslide experts

Borderline ovarian tumours: retrospective analysis of twenty-one cases.

Twenty-one borderline ovarian tumour cases, diagnosed and treated in our oncology section between 1986 and 1996, were retrospectively analysed. Thirty-three percent of the cases had serous tumours and the rest (66.6%) were mucinous, 57.1% of the mucinous tumours were the intestinal type and the remaining 42.9% were the endocervical type