The Association of Fibroblast Growth Factor 23 with Arterial Stiffness and Atherosclerosis in Patients with Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease

Background/Aims: In patients with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD), cardiovascular events are the most frequent cause of mortality and morbidity. The aim of our study is to investigate the association between serum fibroblast growth factor-23 (FGF-23) and arterial stiffness (AS) as determined with brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) and atherosclerosis development as determined with carotid artery intima-media thickness (CA- IMT). Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted with totally 86 ADPKD patients, 50 (58.1%) female and 36 (41.9%) male, with a mean age of 49.5 ± 13.9 years. Patients were compared with healthy control group with similar distribution of age and gender. AS was assessed with baPWW, and atherosclerosis development was assessed with CA-IMT. CA-IMT > 9 mm was considered as increased atherosclerosis. Serum FGF-23 and soluble klotho (s-KL) levels were measured with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Due to skewed distribution of variables, statistical calculations of FGF-23 and s-KL were performed with log10. Results: According to the CKD stages, 46 (53.5%) patients had stage 1-2, 32 (37.2%) had stage 3-4, and 8 (9.3%) had predialysis stage 5 disease. Mean log10FGF-23 was 2.43 ± 0.41 pg/mL, and mean log10s-KL was 1.28 ± 0.09 ng/mL. Mean baPWV was 7.48 ± 1.68 m/sec, and mean CA-IMT was 0.63 ± 0.14 mm. Among patients at various stages of CKD, systolic blood pressure (SBP) (p = 0.003), diastolic blood pressure (DBP) (p = 0.002), creatinine, 1.25hydroxy(OH)2VitaminD3, log10FGF-23, baPWV, CA-IMT were higher (p < 0.001)andlog10s-KL were lower (p < 0.001) in comparison to healthy individuals. FGF-23 was positively correlated with creatinine, 1.25(OH)2VitD3 (p < 0.001), baPWV (p = 0.002) and CA-IMT (p = 0.005), and negatively correlated with eGFR (p < 0.001). Conclusion: In patients with ADPKD, as the disease stage advanced, serum FGF-23 levels increased while s-KL decreased. In ADPKD patients, AS and atherosclerosis development increased as compared to healthy subjects, and as CKD advanced. In ADPKD patients, the effect of serum FGF-23 on the development of AS and atherosclerosis in peripheral vessels is independent of s-KL

GnRH agonist versus HCG triggering in different IVF/ICSI cycles of same patients: a retrospective study

The aim of this study was to assess Gonadotropin Releasing Hormone agonist (GnRHa) trigger results of fresh in vitro fertilisation (IVF), Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI) cycles in high-responder patients. Thirty-six high-responder patients, undergoing GnRH antagonist protocol combined with GnRHa trigger for final oocyte maturation, were included. All cycles were autologous fresh transfer cycles. Fifteen of 36 patients had previous IVF/ICSI cycles triggered with human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) and both cycles of these patients were compared. The mean fertilisation rate, blastocyst development and clinical pregnancy rates were 67%, 44.4% and 44.4%, respectively. The hCG and GnRHa trigger cycles of the same patients were compared as two groups (n: 15). 2PN oocyte counts were significantly higher in agonist trigger cycles (p .048). There were no differences in terms of M2 oocyte count and fertilisation rate. The blastocyst formation and clinical pregnancy rates for hCG and GnRHa trigger cycles were 33.3–66.7% and 13.3–46.7%, respectively. These results were found to be 2-fold and 3.5-fold higher, but not statistically significant. GnRHa trigger in combination with LPS is a good option for final oocyte maturation due to its good pregnancy outcomes and virtually eliminating OHSS risks.IMPACT STATEMENT What is already known on this subject? Gonadotrophin releasing hormone agonist (GnRHa) trigger is effective in the induction of oocyte maturation and prevention of Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome (OHSS) on IVF cycles using antagonist protocol. What do the results of this study add? The main strength of this study is the comparison of different triggers in different cycles of the same patients. GnRHa trigger in combination with Luteal Phase Support (LPS) is a good option for final oocyte maturation due to its good pregnancy outcomes and virtually eliminating OHSS risks. What are the implications of these findings for clinical practice and/or further research? We suppose that GnRHa trigger combined with modified LPS is clinically more successful than Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG) in regard to OHSS prevention and reproductive outcomes on fresh IVF/ICSI cycles. More extensive studies are needed to draw firm conclusions

Vulnerability of copepod eggs in salinity and temperature gradients of the Marmara and Black Seas

Mass density, sinking speed and hatching success of eggs in Calanus euxinus, Acartia clausi and A. tonsa have been examined in response to salinity and temperature of the Marmara and Black Seas. Eggs of C. euxinus from the Marmara and Black Sea populations (mean mass density of 1.036 to 1.040 g cm(-3)) laid in brackish (18 to 22 psu) upper layers of the Marmara Sea could sink to high-saline (similar to 38.5 psu) deep layers during embryonic development. Gradual salinity increase from 22 to 38.5 psu in laboratory experiments reduced egg hatching success in C. euxinus from the Marmara Sea from 97 +/- 4 to 47 +/- 11% (means +/- SD) while all eggs of the Black Sea C. euxinus did not hatch. Mean mass density of eggs in A. tonsa and A. clausi amounted to 1.062 and 1.044 g cm(-3), respectively. Eggs of A. tonsa with higher mass density and longer development time than those of A. clausi could descend to high salinity strata in the Marmara Sea, or to a cold intermediate layer in the Black Sea. On the contrary, sinking depth of eggs of A. clausi should not exceed 30 m both in the Black and Marmara Seas, as this increases predator pressure. Hatching success in A. tonsa eggs laid at 18 psu decreased from 77.7 +/- 18.5% at 20 degrees C to 46.7 +/- 21.5% at 7 degrees C, and reduced to 10.2 +/- 4.7% at 7 degrees C and 39 psu. Egg hatching success in A. clausi from the Black Sea did not depend upon temperature, whilst it decreased dramatically from 80 to 90% to 3.3 to 10% after salinity increase from 18 to 38 psu

Population dynamics and morphological variability of Calanus euxinus in the Black and Marmara Seas

Temporal and spatial changes in abundance, prosome length, oil sac volume, molting patterns and morphometric parameters were studied in Calanus euxinus from the Black and Marmara Seas. In the south-western part of the Black Sea and deep shelf zone near Sinop the abundance of C. euxinus was high during the whole studied period (2000-2005), with a maximum 23,400 ind m-2 in March 2004. In the Marmara Sea near the Prince Islands in the deep zone the mean annual abundance of C. euxinus was 47 times lower than in the deep zone of the Black Sea (during 2000-2007). However, this parameter reached a significant magnitude of 12,264 ind m-2 in spring in Izmit Bay. During the warm season, C. euxinus are rare in the Marmara Sea. The high temperature and salinity accelerate development in this species; therefore, preadults and adults possess reduced prosome length and oil sac volume. In the cold period in the Marmara Sea the size and lipid content in late copepodite stages increase, especially in Izmit Bay. Similar size of eggs, prosome length of early copepodite stages in the Black and Marmara Seas indicate that the C. euxinus population in the Marmara Sea originates from the individuals penetrating from the Black Sea through the Bosphorus

Assessment of CO2 storage potential in turkey, modeling and a prefeasibility study for injection into an oil field

AbstractThe large amount of CO2 that can be mitigated by geologic storage had gained interest during the last 15 years. Acceptance of CCS under CDM is still under discussion(IEA, 2008) however there are several pilot or field scale projects and monitoring surveys that are underway which will make the technology better known and resolve the risks involved. This study involves assessment of possible geologic sites for CO2 storage and calculation of CO2 emissions from thermal power plants with capacities >500 MWe, cement factories, steel industry, sugar factories and refineries in Turkey. In emission calculations IPCC methodology is used. Coupling of sources and sinks resulted in a decision to use the emissions from a cement factory which is about 130 km from the selected oil field, Caylarbasi. The cement factory does not have capture facilities yet, but during modelling it was assumed that CO2 is available at the factory site. According to the results of the model study, during the project life of 20 years, enhanced oil recovery effect of CO2 lasts 8 years and 2 million barrels of oil will be produced and the remaining 12 years are modelled as CO2 storage phase which shows 220 million Sm3 of CO2 can be stored.The transportation phase was designed with two alternatives, pipeline transport and transport by tankers. Economic evaluation at 100$/barrel of oil value, it will be possible to produce for 6 years. For the following years during CO2 storage, incentives are necessary to cover operating costs so that project will continue for 20 years. Since the initial investment is already made, only the operational costs must be financed.Natural CO2 field in Dodan is another possibility for geologic storage, the field has already produced 7 billion Sm3 of CO2 for the BatıRaman EOR project. Total capacity is about 10 billion Sm3. Other possible storage sites are deep saline aquifers, which were encountered in Thrace region, Central Anatolia and South Eastern Turkey and salt caverns of the soda mines. The experience of the Turkish oil industry for use of CO2 in EOR application in BatıRaman field will be utilized if and when such an application is required