Evaluation of internal MRI coils using ultimate intrinsic SNR

The upper bounds of the signal-to-noise ratio (also known as the "ultimate intrinsic signal-to-noise ratio" (UISNR)) for internal and external coils were calculated. In the calculation, the body was modeled as a dielectric cylinder with a small coaxial cylindrical cavity in which internal coils could be placed. The calculated UISNR values can be used as reference solutions to evaluate the performance of internal MRI coils. As examples, we evaluated the performance of a loopless antenna and an endourethral coil design by comparing their ISNR with the UISNR. © 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc

A comparison of promastigote and amastigote antigens of Leishmania infantum in the diagnosis of visceral Leishmaniosis by ELISA and IFA tests in Turkey.

PubMed ID: 17265631This study was designed to evaluate the ELISA and IFA tests for diagnosis of visceral leishmaniosis (VL) using soluble and crude antigens from promastigote and amastigote forms of Leishmania infantum. A total of 70 sera were tested, including 30 patients who were suspected for Leishmaniosis (10 healthy persons, 10 patients with Toxoplasmosis, 10 patients with Giardiosis). In the 30 patients suspected to have Leishmaniosis, smears were prepared from bone marrow aspirates and all material aspirated was cultured in NNN medium. The results were compared with those of parasitological and serological tests. While 2 patients were serologically positive and parasitologically negative from the 30 patients, 8 patients were serologically and parasitologically positive. The amastigote and promastigote antigens were 100% specific. Using these antigens with ELISA and IFA tests did not result and diagnosis different than VL

Ovarian actinomycosis mimicking malignancy

PubMedID: 16398234Objective: To emphasize the importance of frozen section diagnosis in the treatment of ovarian carcinoma and to remind physicians that it may mimic ovarian carcinoma and occur in women without intrauterine contraceptive devices (IUDs). Methods: Three cases operated on in Adana University Hospital between the year 2001-2003 with the diagnosis of ovarian actinomycosis were reported. Case report: Three female patients who had never used IUDs, aged 37, 45 and 47, who presented with pelvic pain and tumoral masses in the pelvis were operated on with the initial diagnosis of ovarian carcinoma between the years 2001 and 2003. Intraoperative frozen-section diagnoses of the pelvic masses were actinomycosis. In the postoperative period the patients received long-term antibiotic therapy initially intravenously (15 days), and later orally with 4 g/day for three months. They were healthy without evidence of actinomycosis infection for two years after the treatment. Discussion: Pelvic actinomycosis is uncommon and may present a diagnostic dilemma because of an atypical clinical presentation. The behavior of the disease, which mimics malignancy and urogenital manifestation, poses difficulties in diagnosis and management. Preoperative examinations could not establish the nature of the tumour. An initial diagnosis of ovarian carcinoma is usually considered in all cases. Surgeons should be aware of this infection to potentially spare women morbidity from excessive surgical procedures

Prevention of new sensitizations by specific immunotherapy in children with rhinitis and/or asthma monosensitized to house dust mite

PubMedID: 17460946Background: Previous studies have suggested that single-allergen-specific immunotherapy (SIT) may prevent sensitization to other airborne allergens in monosensitized children. We aimed to assess the prevention of new sensitizations in monosensitized children treated with single-allergen SIT injections in comparison with monosensitized patients given appropriate pharmacologic treatment for their disease. Methods: A total of 147 children with rhinitis and/or asthma monosensitized to house dust mite were studied; 45 patients underwent SIT with adsorbed extracts and 40 patients underwent SIT with aqueous extracts for 5 years. The control group was comprised of 62 patients given only pharmacologic treatment for at least 5 years. Skin prick tests, medication scores for rhinitis and asthma, and atopy scores according to skin prick tests were evaluated at the beginning and after 5 years of treatment. Results: All groups were comparable in terms of age, sex, and disease characteristics. At the end of 5 years, 64 out of 85 (75.3 %) in the SIT group showed no new sensitization, compared to 29 out of 62 children (46.7 %) in the control group (P = .002). There were no differences between the SIT subgroups with regard to onset of new sensitization (P = .605). The patients developing new sensitizations had higher atopy scores (P = .002) and medication scores for both rhinitis (P = .008) and asthma (P = .013) in comparison to patients not developing new sensitizations after 5 years of SIT. Conclusion: According to our data, SIT has the potential to prevent the onset of new sensitizations in children with rhinitis and/or asthma monosensitized to house dust mite. © 2007 Esmon Publicidad

A fuzzy logic application to predict egg production on laying hens [Yumurtacı tavuklarda yumurta veriminin tahminlenmesinde bulanık mantık uygulaması]

Fuzzy logic has a great potential for researchers and it has been developed over the last two decades. In animal science, there are limited numbers of studies on fuzzy logic approach. This study was carried out to examine the Fuzzy logic applications for prediction of the egg production data. Egg production records were obtained from the commercial poultry farm in Izmir, Turkey. Egg production traits of brown laying hens at 22 to 40 weeks of age were analyzed with Fuzzy logic system. In this study, Fuzzy logic model was developed for the prediction of egg production values of three classes; top, middle and lower (bottom for the cage effect) production. For this purpose 120 data lines representing 4 inputs consisting of cage, age at sexual maturity (ASM), body weight at sexual maturity (BWSM), body weight at mature age (BW) and 1 output, egg production (EP) that collected daily and individually were used in a Fuzzy logic model. The similarities between predicted and original production records were investigated, the coefficient of determination (R 2 ) was found as 0.89 which was also shown the prediction’s success rate. The probability of egg production at ASM of 168 days, BWSM of 1500 g and BW of 1820 g was found 98.97% while egg production’s probability at ASM of 157 days, BWSM of 1720 g and BW of 1940 g was determined as 97.97%. These results were also concluded that layers reached at sexual maturity later have lower egg production. The results illustrated that Fuzzy model could provide an effective and accurate prediction for classifying egg production of laying hens. However, since the applications of fuzzy logic related to the prediction of egg production are limited, this work will be pioneered by future studies. © 2019, Veteriner Fakultesi Dergisi. All rights reserved

A Turkish newborn infant with cerebelur agenesis/neonatal diabetes mellitus and PTF1A mutation

PubMedID: 19650412Classical neonatal diabetes mellitus is defined as hyperglycemia that occurs within the first month of life in term infants. It can be either permanent or transient. Cerebellar agenesis and permanent neonatal diabetes has been previously reported as a new autosomal recessive disorder. Pancreas Transcription Factor 1 Alpha (PTF1A) mutations have been related with this constellation of abnormalities. Here we report a new case of cerebellar agenesis and neonatal diabetes mellitus whose parents are PTF1A mutation carriers