Explaining the decline in coronary heart disease mortality in Turkey between 1995 and 2008.

BACKGROUND: Coronary heart disease (CHD) mortality rates have been decreasing in Turkey since the early 1990s. Our study aimed to determine how much of the CHD mortality decrease in Turkey between 1995 and 2008 could be attributed to temporal trends in major risk factors and how much to advances in medical and surgical treatments. METHODS: The validated IMPACT CHD mortality model was used to combine and analyse data on uptake and effectiveness of CHD treatments and risk factor trends in Turkey in adults aged 35-84 years between 1995 and 2008.Data sources were identified, searched and appraised on population, mortality and major CHD risk factors for adults those aged 35-84 years. Official statistics, electronic databases, national registers, surveys and published trials were screened from 1995 onwards. RESULTS: Between 1995 and 2008, coronary heart disease mortality rates in Turkey decreased by 34% in men and 28% in women 35 years and over. This resulted in 35,720 fewer deaths in 2008.Approximately 47% of this mortality decrease was attributed to treatments in individuals (including approximately 16% to secondary prevention, 3% angina treatments, 9% to heart failure treatments, 5% to initial treatments of acute myocardial infarction, and 5% to hypertension treatments) and approximately 42% was attributable to population risk factor reductions (notably blood pressure 29%; smoking 27%; and cholesterol 1%). Adverse trends were seen for obesity and diabetes (potentially increasing mortality by approximately 11% and 14% respectively). The model explained almost 90% of the mortality fall. CONCLUSION: Reduction in major cardiovascular risk factors explained approximately 42% and improvements in medical and surgical treatments explained some 47% of the CHD mortality fall. These findings emphasize the complimentary value of primary prevention and evidence-based medical treatments in controlling coronary heart disease

Built-in self-limitation of masked aluminum anodization using photoresist

This paper reports on a simple method for wafer-scale production of precisely-shaped 2D patterns of porous anodic alumina (PAA) by masked anodization of aluminum films. The produced dielectric PAA structures, featuring cylindrical nano-pores of very high aspect ratio (>100), are useful for several applications including the production of nanowires and miniature MEMS packages. The fabrication process utilizes a photoresist mask; but to overcome the instability of the photoresist during the anodization process, special borderlines are included in the mask design. These borderlines act as self-synchronized switches for the anodization current, preventing the undesired photoresist delamination and lateral extension of the PAA structures. Employing such borderlines resulted in a reduction of the lateral extension of masked Al anodization on 200mm wafers from more than 300 μm to approximately 6 μm.status: publishe

Built-in Self-Limitation of Masked Aluminum Anodization using Photoresist

AbstractThis paper reports on a simple method for wafer-scale production of precisely-shaped 2D patterns of porous anodic alumina (PAA) by masked anodization of aluminum films. The produced dielectric PAA structures, featuring cylindrical nano-pores of very high aspect ratio (>100), are useful for several applications including the production of nanowires and miniature MEMS packages. The fabrication process utilizes a photoresist mask; but to overcome the instability of the photoresist during the anodization process, special borderlines are included in the mask design. These borderlines act as self-synchronized switches for the anodization current, preventing the undesired photoresist delamination and lateral extension of the PAA structures. Employing such borderlines resulted in a reduction of the lateral extension of masked Al anodization on 200mm wafers from more than 300μm to approximately 6μm

MicroRNA Expression Patterns of CD8+ T Cells in Acute and Chronic Brucellosis.

Although our knowledge about Brucella virulence factors and the host response increase rapidly, the mechanisms of immune evasion by the pathogen and causes of chronic disease are still unknown. Here, we aimed to investigate the immunological factors which belong to CD8+ T cells and their roles in the transition of brucellosis from acute to chronic infection. Using miRNA microarray, more than 2000 miRNAs were screened in CD8+ T cells of patients with acute or chronic brucellosis and healthy controls that were sorted from peripheral blood with flow cytometry and validated through qRT-PCR. Findings were evaluated using GeneSpring GX (Agilent) 13.0 software and KEGG pathway analysis. Expression of two miRNAs were determined to display a significant fold change in chronic group when compared with acute or control groups. Both miRNAs (miR-126-5p and miR-4753-3p) were decreased (p 2). These miRNAs have the potential to be the regulators of CD8+ T cell-related marker genes for chronic brucellosis infections. The differentially expressed miRNAs and their predicted target genes are involved in MAPK signaling pathway, cytokine-cytokine receptor interactions, endocytosis, regulation of actin cytoskeleton, and focal adhesion indicating their potential roles in chronic brucellosis and its progression. It is the first study of miRNA expression analysis of human CD8+ T cells to clarify the mechanism of inveteracy in brucellosis

Silicon Based System for Single-Nucleotide-Polymorphism Detection: Chip Fabrication and Thermal Characterization of Polymerase Chain Reaction Microchamber

A single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) is a difference in the DNA sequence of one nucleotide only. We recently proposed a lab-on-a-chip (LoC) system which has the potentiality of fast, sensitive and highly specific SNP detection. Most of the chip components are silicon based and fabricated within a single process. In this paper, the newly developed fabrication method for the silicon chip is presented. The robust and reliable process allows etching structures on the same chip with very different aspect ratios. The characterization of a crucial component to the LoC SNP detector, the microreactor where DNA amplification is performed, is also detailed. Thanks to innovative design and fabrication methodologies, the microreactor has an excellent thermal isolation from the surrounding silicon substrate. This allows for highly localized temperature control. Furthermore, the microreactor is demonstrated to have rapid heating and cooling rates, allowing for rapid amplification of the target DNA fragments. Successful DNA amplification in the microreactor is demonstrated. (C) 2012 The Japan Society of Applied Physic

Pathway Analysis of miR-4753-3p according to KEGG function annotations.

<p>Pathway Analysis of miR-4753-3p according to KEGG function annotations.</p

Target gene prediction for the 2 down regulated miRNAs, miR-126-5p and miR-4753-3p depend on KEGG analysis.

<p>Target gene prediction for the 2 down regulated miRNAs, miR-126-5p and miR-4753-3p depend on KEGG analysis.</p