Stem cell treatment in degenerative retinal and optic nerve diseases

Use of stem cells in the treatment of retinal diseases is a new and popular topic in ophthalmology. Embryonic and bone marrow derived stem cells can be used for treatment. Age-related macular degeneration, Stargardt’s macular dystrophy and retinitis pigmentosa are common encountered retinal diseases causing progressive vision loss. The researches therefore mostly focus on these diseases which have no curative treatment modality in order to evaluate the efficacy of stem cell therapy. In this review, we aimed to present the results of the phase 1/2 clinical studies about stem cell treatments in eye diseases. Stem cell therapies are the rising trends in treatment of retinal diseases. Further clinical studies are required for standardization of the therapy and obtaining long-term data about the results and complicationsRetina hastalıklarının tedavisinde kök hücrelerin kullanımı oftalmolojide yeni ve popüler bir konudur. Embriyonik ve kemik iliği kaynaklı kök hücreler tedavi için kullanılabilir. Yaşla bağlı maküla dejenerasyonu, Stargardt'ın maküla distrofisi ve retinitis pigmentosa, progresif görme kaybına neden olan yaygın görülen retina hastalıklarıdır. Bu nedenle araştırmalar kök hücre tedavisinin etkinliğini değerlendirmek için herhangi bir küratif tedavi modalitesine sahip olmayan bu hastalıklara odaklanmaktadır. Bu yayında göz hastalıklarında kök hücre tedavisi ile ilgili faz 1/2 klinik çalışmaların sonuçlarını incelemeyi amaçladık. Kök hücre terapileri, retinal hastalıkların tedavisinde yükselen bir trenddir ve tedavinin standardizasyonu, sonuçlar hakkında uzun vadeli veriler elde etmek ve komplikasyonlara ilişkin daha ileri klinik çalışmalara ihtiyaç vardır

FeTeMM Okulu Olmak İyi Öğrenci Başarısı Anlamına Mı Gelir?

STEM education has received greater attention with increasing need of technology and engineering knowledge; therefore to improve young adults’ knowledge in STEM, schools have been designated as STEM academies all over the world, especially in the US. The authors examined and compared Texas STEM (T-STEM) academies and non T-STEM schools’ achievement longitudinally-2009 through 2011 to determine whether STEM schools fulfill their promises. Propensity score matching and HLM was used to determine the T-STEM and non T-STEM schools with similar backgrounds and analyze the longitudinal mathematics and science achievement of both types of schools, respectively. The results showed that from year to year for both school types, there was a statistically significant difference between students’ mathematics and science scores; however, there was not a statistically significant difference between T-STEM academies’ and their counterparts’ academic achievement over time.FeTeMM eğitimi, teknoloji ve mühendislik bilgisine duyulan ihtiyacın artmasıyla büyük ilgi görmeye başlamıştır ve dolayısıyla, öğrencilerin FeTeMM bilgilerini artırmak için bütün dünyada, özellikle deABD’de FeTeMM okulları açılmaya başlanmıştır. Bu makalede FeTeMM okullarının amacına hizmet edip etmediğini anlamak için, Teksas’da yer alan FeTeMM (T-STEM) okullarının akademik başarılarının diğer okullar ile uzun süreli (boylamsal) karşılaştırılması yapılmıştır. Eğilim değerleri eşleştirme yöntemi kullanılarak Teksas FeTeMM okullarına benzer özelliklere sahip okullar belirlenmiş ve hiyerarşik lineer modelleme yöntemi kullanılarak okulların matematik ve fen başarıları karşılaştırılmıştır. Her iki okul türünde de öğrencilerin matematik ve fen başarılarının yıllar arasındaki değişimi istatistiksel olarak anlamlı sonuçlar vermiştir. İki okul türü arasında akademik başarı bakımından istatistiksel olarak anlamlı fark bulunmamıştır

Adolesan erkeklerin nutrisyonel durumlarının değerlendirilmesi

Amaç: Bu çalışmanın amacı Türkiye'nin Edirne ilinin kırsal ve kentsel alanında yaşayan adolesan erkek öğrencilerin nutrisyonel durumlarını değerlendirmektir. Hastalar ve Yöntemler: Toplam 1004 erkek adolesanın (ort. yaş 14.4±1.7; dağılım 12-17) makronutrient ve mikronutrient alımları üç günlük diyet kayıtları ile değerlendirilmiştir. Bulgular: Deneklerin enerji, kalsiyum, magnezyum, A, E, B1 (tiamin) vitaminleri, folik asit ve lif alımı önerilen günlük alımların altında saptanırken, protein, B2 (riboflavin), B6 vitaminleri ve demir alımları fazlaydı. Makronutrientlerin günlük enerji alımını oluşturan oranları önerildiği gibiydi. Kırsal ve kentsel alanda yaşayan adolesan erkeklerin nutrisyonel alımları farklılık göstermedi (p>0.05). Sonuç: Bölgemizde yaşayan erkek adolesanların bu bulgulara göre oluşturulacak diyet alım önerileri ve diyet menü örnekleri, eskiye göre daha sağlıklı dengeli besinsel duruma ulaşmalarına yardımcı olabilir.Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the nutritional status of adolescent male students in rural and urban areas of Edirne, Turkey. Patients and Methods: In a sample of 1004 male adolescent boys (mean age 14.4±1.7 years; range 12 to 17 years), intake of macronutrients and micronutrients was assessed from three-day self-reported food records. Results: It was observed that energy, calcium, magnesium, vitamin A, E, thiamine, folic acid and fiber intakes of the subjects were below the recommended levels, while protein, riboflavin, vitamin B6 and iron intakes exceeded the target levels. Distribution of macronutrients in daily energy consumption was in agreement with the recommended ratios. Nutritional status did not differ between rural and urban areas (p>0.05). Conclusion: The dietary recommendations and menu samples based on these findings may help the male adolescents living in our region and our country have a more balanced nutritional status than before

Impact of metabolic syndrome on ST segment resolution after thrombolytic therapy for acute myocardial infarction

Objectives: It has been shown that metabolic syndrome is associated with poor short-term outcome and poor long-term survival in patients with acute myocardial infarction. We aimed to investigate the effect of metabolic syndrome on ST segment resolution in patients received thrombolytic therapy for acute myocardial infarction.Materials and methods: We retrospectively analyzed 161 patients, who were admitted to our clinics with acute ST-elevated-myocardial infarction and received thrombolytic therapy within 12 hours of chest pain. Metabolic syndrome was diagnosed according to National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III criteria. Resolution of ST segment elevation was assessed on the baseline and 90-minute electrocardiograms. ST segment resolution ≥70% was defined as complete resolution.Results: Metabolic syndrome was found in 56.5% of patients. The proportion of patients with metabolic syndrome who achieved complete ST segment resolution after thrombolysis was significantly lower than that of patients without metabolic syndrome (32.9% versus 58.6%, p=0.001). On multivariate analysis metabolic syndrome was the only independent predictor of ST segment resolution (p=0.01, Odds ratio=2.543, %95 CI:1.248-5.179)Conclusion: The patients with metabolic syndrome had lower rates of complete ST segment resolution after thrombolytic therapy for acute myocardial infarction. This finding may contribute to the higher morbidity and mortality of patients with metabolic syndrome

Investigation of the effect of vitamin c and vitamin e on serum protein fractions in rats with experimental fluorosis

Bu çalışma, deneysel olarak kronik florozis oluşturulan ratlarda vitamin C (vit C) ve E (vit E)'nin serum protein fraksiyonları üzerindeki etkilerini araştırmak amacıyla planlandı. Materyal olarak Wistar-Albino ratlar kullanıldı (Her biri 8 rat içeren, 8 grup). Deneme grupları; kontrol grubu, deneysel florozis grubu, koruma grupları (16 hafta boyunca, içme suyu içeren günlük 150 ppm NaF içeren içme suyu/ad-libitum ile birlikte vit C (100 mg / kg), vit E (300 mg / kg) ve vit C + vit E (100 mg/kg + 300 mg/kg)) ve tedavi grupları (16 hafta boyunca 150 ppm NaF içeren içme suyu/ad-libitum verildikten sonra tedavi amacıyla 4 hafta vit C (100 mg/kg), vit E (300 mg / kg) ve vit C + vit E (100 mg/kg + 300 mg/kg)) olarak oluşturuldu. Deneme sonunda kan örnekleri toplandı ve serumlar alındı. Bu örneklerde serum protein fraksiyonları selüloz-asetat elektroforezi ile belirlendi. Deneysel florozis grubunda total protein yüzde gram açısından, alfa-1’in önemli oranda azaldığı ve beta globülinlerin arttığı tespit edildi. Korunma ve tedavi amacıyla vitamin C, vitamin E ve vitamin C+vitamin E birlikte verildiği gruplarda, değişen bu değerlerin kontrol grubuna yaklaştığı görüldü.The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of vitamins C (vit C) and E (vit E) on the serum protein fractions in rats with experimentally-induced chronic fluorosis. Wistar-Albino rats (male) were used as material (8 groups, each containing 8 rats). The experimental groups were control, protection groups (daily 150 ppm NaF containing drinking water for 16 weeks as ad-libitum, and, on alternate Vit C (100 mg/kg), Vit E (300 mg/kg) and Vit C+ Vit E (100 mg/kg + 300 mg/kg) for 16 weeks) therapy groups (daily 150 ppm NaF containing drinking water for 16 weeks as ad-libitum, then normal drinking water as ad-libitum, Vit C (100 mg/kg), Vit E (300 mg/kg) and Vit C + Vit E (100 mg/kg + 300 mg/kg) on alternate for 4 weeks). The end of experimental period, blood samples were collected and serums were obtained. Serum protein fractions in blood samples were determined with cellulose-acetate electrophoresis. Alpha-1 was significantly decreased and beta globulins increased in the experimental fluorosis group. In the groups in which vitamin C, vitamin E and combine combination of vitamin C and vitamin E were given for prevention and treatment, it was observed that these changing values approach to the control group

Elderly and aged asthma have different characteristics: results of a multicenter study

Background/aim: Characteristics of asthma in the elderly population is not well-known. The aim of the present study was to evaluate asthma in the elderly population, to compare disease characteristics between patients diagnosed <60 (aged asthma) and ≥60 (elderly asthma) years of age. Materials and methods: The study was a prospective, multicenter, cross-sectional type. A questionnaire was filled out to patients 60 years of age and over, that have been followed for asthma for at least 3 months. Asthma Control Test (ACT), eight-item Morisky Medication Adherence Scale (MMAS-8) was filled out, inhaler device technique was assessed. Results: A total of 399 patients were included from 17 tertiary care centers across the country. Mean age was 67.11 years and 331 (83%) were female. The age at asthma diagnosis was ≥60 in 146 (36.6%) patients. Patients diagnosed ≥60 years were older (p < 0.001), had higher education level (p < 0.001), more commonly had first-degree relative with asthma (p = 0.038), asthma related comorbidities (p = 0.009) and accompanying rhinitis/rhinosinusitis (p = 0.005), had better asthma control (p = 0.001), were using less controller medications (p = 0.014). Inhaler technique was correct in 37% of the patients with no difference in between the groups. Treatment compliance was better in elderly asthma patients (p < 0.001). In the multivariate logistic regression analysis, having well-controlled asthma (odds ratio = 1.61, CI = 1.04-2.51), and high medication adherence rate (odds ratio = 2.43, CI = 1.48-4.0) were associated with being in the elderly asthma group. Conclusion: The characteristics of asthma are different among patients aged 60 years and over which seems to be related to onset age of asthma. In our cohort, the elderly asthma patients had higher education level, and treatment adherence and asthma control was better. Patients diagnosed ≥60 years of age did not have more severe disease