Circulating adhesion molecules and arterial stiffness

Aim: VCAM-1 and ICAM-1 are two important members of the immunoglobulin gene superfamily of adhesion molecules, and their potential role as biomarkers of diagnosis, severity and prognosis of cardiovascular disease has been investigated in a number of clinical studies. The aim of the present study was to determine the relationship between circulating ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 levels and aortic stiffness in patients referred for echocardiographic examination. Methods: Aortic distensibility was determined by echocardiography using systolic and diastolic aortic diameters in 63 consecutive patients referred for echocardiography. Venous samples were collected in the morning after a 12-hour overnight fast, and serum concentrations of ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 were measured using commercial enzyme immunoassay kits. Results: Data of a total of 63 participants (mean age 55.6 ± 10.5 years, 31 male) were included in the study. Circulating levels of adhesion molecules were VCAM-1: 12.604 ± 3.904 ng/ml and ICAM-1: 45.417 ± 31.429 ng/ml. We were unable to demonstrate any correlation between indices of aortic stiffness and VCAM-1 and ICAM-1 levels. Conclusion: The role of soluble adhesion molecules in cardiovascular disease has not been fully established and clinical studies show inconsistent results. Our results indicate that levels of circulating adhesion molecules cannot be used as markers of aortic stiffness in patients

Evaluation of the morphological characteristic and sex differences of sternum by multi-detector computed tomography

Background: Sternum is one of the skeleton parts which have frequently congenital anomalies and variations are commonly used by researchers in determining sex. We evaluated the morphological characteristics and sex-related changes of the sternum in adult individuals using multidetector computed tomography inour study.Materials and methods: Two hundred adults (103 female and 97 male) aged between 18 and 87 years were evaluated. Utilising the morphological characteristics of the sternum based on the multislice images; length, width and the thickness of manubrium, length, width and the thickness of corpus sterni, total length of sternum, sternal angle, sternal index (SI), length of the xiphoid process, the thickness of xiphoid process, the number of indents of xiphoid process were measured and a total of 20 parameters were evaluated by adding age, heightand weight to these variables.Results: The mean length of the manubrium, the length of corpus sterni, the length of total sternum, SI, sternal angle were found in females 46.7 ± 5.1, 86.6 ± 9.7, 133.1 ± 1.1, 54.47 ± 10.0 and 163.75 ± 5.79; in males 51.2 ± 6,102.4 ± 13.3, 154.1 ± 13.1, 50.11 ± 10.02 and 162.21 ± 6.17, respectively. We found that Hyrtl’s Law and SI did not provide adequate accuracy for sex determination in our patients. It has been detected that the length of the manubrium alone is not helpful for individual samples. Total length of the sternum was found to bemore reliable than the length of the manubrium and the length of corpus sterni. We determined sternal cleft and sternal foramen as 0.5% and 3.5%, respectively.Conclusions: We suggest that the morphometric standards cannot be universally applied and can demonstrate individual differences. The standard rules must be implemented for every population

Reactive Extraction of Propionic Acid Using Aliquat-336 in 2-Octanol: Linear Solvation Energy Relationship (LSER) Modeling and Kinetics Study

Reactive extraction is an important recovery method for extraction of propionic acid from dilute streams, providing numerous advantages like high selectivity and recovery. Equilibrium and kinetic study of reactive extraction is essential to choose a proper extractant-diluent for acid recovery and ascertain the kinetic parameters essential for design of the process. In this paper, the linear solvation energy relationship (LSER) modeling of reactive extraction of propionic acid using Aliquat 336 in 2-octanol as diluent was presented to obtain the model parameters. Also, the kinetics of extraction in stirred cell was presented to explain the progress of reactive extraction of propionic acid using Aliquat 336 in the diluent. The reaction was found to be fast pseudo first order. To design the reactor to carry out reactive extraction, the kinetic parameters evaluated are essential. Modeling using LSER model predict a close resemblance of experimental data

Association between mean platelet volume levels and inflammation in SLE patients presented with arthritis

Background: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) may be characterized by periods of remissions and chronic or acute relapses. The complexity of clinical presentation of the SLE patients leads to incorrect evaluation of disease activity. Mean platelet volume (MPV) has been studied as a simple inflammatory marker in several diseases. There is no study in the literature about MPV levels in adult SLE patients with arthritis.Objectives: We aimed to investigate the MPV levels in the SLE population with arthritis during and between activations.Methods: The study consisted of 44 SLE patients with arthritis in activation period (Group 1), the same 44 SLE patients with arthritis in remission period (Group 2) and 44 healthy controls (Group 3). Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), creactive protein (CRP), white blood cell count, platelet count, and mean platelet volume (MPV) levels were retrospectively recorded from patient files.Results: The mean ages of the SLE subjects were 42 ± 16 years, while the mean ages of controls was 41 ± 17 years. MPV was significantly lower in Group 1(7.66±0.89fL) than in Group 2 (8.61±1.06 fL) and Group 3(8.62±1.11fL) (p<0.0001). The differences between groups reached statistical significance.Conclusions: We suggest that MPV levels decrease in patients with arthritis of SLE activation when compared to the same patients in remission and healthy controls.Key words: Systemic lupus erythematosus, Arthritis, Mean platelet volum

The densities of fiber follicles in the Karakas, Norduz, and Zom sheep and a comparative analysis

This study aimed to determine the densities of fiber follicles in the skin of the Karakas, Norduz, and Zom sheep breeds and to carry out a comparative analysis between them. The study included a total of 36 animals aged 1-2 years and 3-4 years. Skin samples were obtained through biopsies taken from the right sides of the animals to determine the densities and ratios of the fleece follicles. Examination of these samples revealed that the primary follicle densities of the three sheep breeds (Karakas, Norduz and Zom) were 3.11 ± 0.42, 3.14 ± 0.49 and 3.34 ± 0.59, while the secondary follicle densities were 8.42 ± 1.48, 8.51 ± 1.54 and 6.36 ± 1.44. The secondary to primary (S/P) follicle ratios of the sheep were 2.71 ± 0.70, 2.79 ± 0.69 and 1.85 ± 0.36, respectively. The primary follicle densities of the Karakas, Norduz and Zom sheep were statistically similar for both age groups. The density of secondary follicles and S/P ratio decreased with age in both age groups. The similarity of the S/P ratios to those from other local sheep breeds suggest that Karakas, Norduz, Zom sheep can be included in the sheep group that has coarse fleece

Volume 78, Number 11, December 5, 1958

Background: Social support, acknowledged as a protective factor against diseases, produces positive results in the prognosis of cancer patients. Objective: There is no relevant studies on perceived social support and factors related to Turkish cancer patients. Hence, the present study aimed to determine the demographic characteristics that affect the perceived social support in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy in Turkey. Patients and Methods: This study was designed as a descriptive cross-sectional study. The sample included 423 adult cancer patients who admitted to the Outpatient Chemotherapy Unit of three hospitals in Turkey between March 2014 and August 2014. The data were collected through Demographic Characteristics Form and Cancer-Specific Social Support Scale (CPSSS). Results: Patients were between 19 and 85 years of age with a mean 51.75 years. Almost half of them (40.7%) were primary school graduates, 53.2% were female, 84.6% were married and 85.8% had children. It was found that the patients generally received a high score (127.86 17.44) from the CPSSS scale. The highest scores were obtained on the Confidence Support sub dimension. It was revealed that women and married patients needed more confidence support and general social support (P < 0.05). Social support perceived by primary school graduates was statistically significant to a great extent (P < 0.05). In spite of the difference between the patients with metastasis and their perceived social support grade averages (P 0.05), it was seen that patients with multiple children utilized more confidence support and general social support in social support reception (P < 0.05). Conclusion: The study showed that study participants received a high amount of social support. Age, gender, marital status, number of children, and educational status were determined to affect perceived social support. It is recommended to support the patients who do not receive sufficient social.C1 [Ozbayir, T.; Koze, B. S.] Ege Univ, Fac Nursing, Dept Surg Nursing, Izmir, Turkey.[Gok, F.] Pamukkale Univ, Dept Surg Nursing, Hlth Sci Fac, Denizli, Turkey.[Arican, S.] Univ Hlth Sci, Izmir Bozyaka Educ & Res Hosp, Izmir, Turkey.[Uslu, Y.] Acibadem Univ, Fac Hlth Sci, Dept Nursing, Istanbul, Turkey

Assessment of subjective sleep quality in iron deficiency anaemia

Objectives: We aimed to assess the effect of anemia on subjective sleep quality in patients with iron deficiency anemia (IDA).Methods: One hundred and four patients diagnosed with IDA and 80 healthy individuals, who are gender and age matched, were included in the study. All participants were requested to fill 3 forms: a socio-demographic form (age, gender, marital status, income level and educational status), hospital anxiety and depression (HAD) scale and pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI).Results: According to the HAD scale, the average anxiety score was found 9.24±4.37 in patients and 7.58± 4.07 in controls. And, the average depression score was 7.53±4.10 in patients and 6.41±2.74 in controls. The total sleep quality score was 6.71±3.02 in patients and 4.11±1.64 in controls. There was a statistically significant difference in terms of anxiety, depression and sleep quality scores. Linear regression analysis showed no association between anxiety and depression with poor sleeping.Conclusion: IDA affects sleep quality irrespective of psychological symptoms such as depression and anxiety.Keywords: Iron deficiency anemia, sleep quality, anxiet

Effect of royal jelly on experimental colitis induced by acetic acid and alteration of mast cell distribution in the colon of rats

This study investigated the effects of royal jelly (RJ) on acetic acid-induced colitis in rats. Twenty adult female Wistar albino rats were divided into four treatment groups of 5 animals each, including a control group (Group I); Group II was treated orally with RJ (150 mg kg−1 body weight); Group III had acetic acid-induced colitis; and Group IV had acetic acid-induced colitis treated orally with RJ (150 mg kg−1 body weight) for 4 weeks. Colitis was induced by intracolonic instillation of 4% acetic acid; the control group received physiological saline (10 mL kg−1). Colon samples were obtained under deep anaesthesia from animals in all groups. Tissues were fixed in 10% formalin neutral buffer solution for 24 h and embedded in paraffin. Six-micrometre-thick sections were stained with Mallory’s triple stain and toluidine blue in 1% aqueous solution at pH 1.0 for 5 min (for Mast Cells). RJ was shown to protect the colonic mucosa against the injurious effect of acetic acid. Colitis (colonic damage) was confirmed histomorphometrically as significant increases in the number of mast cells (MC) and colonic erosions in rats with acetic acid-induced colitis. The RJ treatment significantly decreased the number of MC and reduced the area of colonic erosion in the colon of RJ-treated rats compared with rats with untreated colitis. The results suggest that oral treatment with RJ could be used to treat colitis