Temporal muscle thickness predicts mortality in prevalent hemodialysis patients

OBJECTIVE: Ultrasonographic temporal muscle thickness measurement has recently emerged as a promising method of nutritional assessment in various conditions; hence, we aimed to determine the relationship between temporal muscle thickness and mortality in prevalent hemodialysis patients. METHODS: Adult patients who were on a regular in-center hemodialysis program for ≥3 months were included, and patients with severe nonrenal organ failure or any recent significant disease inception were excluded. Baseline demographic; clinical, laboratory, and anthropometric data, including malnutrition inflammation score; and outcomes data were collected using a standardized form. RESULTS: A total of 60 patients (32 males, diabetes prevalence: 26.6%) who met the eligibility criteria participated in the study, with a mean follow-up of 33.3±11.5 months, a median age of 66.5 (interquartile range 52.7–74) years, time on hemodialysis of 36 months, and a body mass index of 25.9 kg/ m2. Infections and cardiovascular events were the most common causes of overall mortality that occurred in 41.6% of the patients. Temporal muscle thickness was significantly lower in nonsurvivors (8.8 vs. 10.6 mm, p<0.001). Multivariate Cox regression analysis involving age, albumin, spKt/V, and malnutrition inflammation score revealed that temporal muscle thickness was a significant predictor of mortality (hazard ratio=0.740, p=0.035). Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis has shown 68% of sensitivity and 81.8% of specificity for a cutoff value of 9.4 mm (p<0.001). Temporal muscle thickness was weakly or mildly correlated with hemodialysis vintage, body mass index, albumin, and malnutrition inflammation score and moderately correlated with age (r=−0.536, p<0.001). CONCLUSION: Ultrasonographic temporal muscle thickness has been found as a significant predictor of mortality in prevalent hemodialysis patients. Temporal muscle thickness could be a novel marker of nutritional status and predictor of mortality; hence, further studies are warranted

The measurement of stores efficiency in a retail chain using fuzzy data envelopment analysis

The efficiency analysis of retail stores is critical to identify possible areas of improvement. At this point, data envelopment analysis (DEA) is widely used for efficiency measurement of service and production units. On the other hand, the values of input and output variables must be deterministic and precise in the conventional DEA models such as CCR and BCR. However, the input and output values are usually imprecise for real world problems. In order to overcome this shortcoming, fuzzy data envelopment analysis models have been developed. This study aims to use the fuzzy data envelopment analysis for measuring and ranking the efficiency of stores in a grocery retailer in Turkey. In this study, total floor area, average inventory at cost, total number of customers that visited the store and average number of employees in the store are considered as the input variables while GMROI (gross margin return on investment), net sales, inventory turnover and stock-out rate are considered as output variables in the fuzzy DEA. The proposed model is solved by using LINGO 17.0 optimization software. According to the model results, the inefficient stores are ranked and compared using a minimax regret approach

The Effect of Oregano and Cinnamon Essential Oils on Fermentation Quality and Aerobic Stability of Field Pea Silages

This study was performed to determine the effect of field pea silages which were the organic acid (OA) alternative of oregano and cinnamon essential oils on fermentation quality and aerobic stability. Whole crop pea was harvested at full pod stage and wilted in the laboratory at the 48 h. The chopped pea was mixed and divided into equal portions allocated to five groups: CON (non-treated), distilled water, denoted as control group; OA group, a mixture of 60% formic acid, 20% sodium formate and 20% water applied at a rate of 5 g/kg fresh forage (Silofarm Liquid, Farmavet); origanum (ORE) group, Origanum onites essential oil at 400 mg/kg fresh forage; cinnamon (CIN) group, cinnamon essential oil at 400 mg/kg fresh forage; origanum+cinnamon (ORECIN) group, a mixture of ORE and CIN applied at an equal rate of 400 mg/kg fresh forage. Cinnamon decreased acetic acid (AA), ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N) and weight loss (WL) at the end of 60 days silage. Crude protein (CP) and dry matter (DM) increased by cinnamon essential oil. Yeasts were not detected in any treatments, including the control, after 7 days of air exposure. The CO2 amount decreased and the formation mold was inhibited in the aerobic period by the addition of cinnamon oil. Oregano did not show a similar effect, but when it was used with cinnamon, it showed synergic effect on AA and during aerobic period, it showed antagonistic effect on mold formation and DM losses. It was found in this study that cinnamon can be an alternative to organic acids.NKUBAP (University of Namik Kemal Scientific Research Project)Namik Kemal University [NKUBAP.00.24.AR.11.04]This study was funded by NKUBAP (University of Namik Kemal Scientific Research Project) within the framework of NKUBAP.00.24.AR.11.04

The Effect of Oregano and Cinnamon Essential Oils on Fermentation Quality and Aerobic Stability of Field Pea Silages

This study was performed to determine the effect of field pea silages which were the organic acid (OA) alternative of oregano and cinnamon essential oils on fermentation quality and aerobic stability. Whole crop pea was harvested at full pod stage and wilted in the laboratory at the 48 h. The chopped pea was mixed and divided into equal portions allocated to five groups: CON (non-treated), distilled water, denoted as control group; OA group, a mixture of 60% formic acid, 20% sodium formate and 20% water applied at a rate of 5 g/kg fresh forage (Silofarm Liquid, Farmavet); origanum (ORE) group, Origanum onites essential oil at 400 mg/kg fresh forage; cinnamon (CIN) group, cinnamon essential oil at 400 mg/kg fresh forage; origanum+cinnamon (ORECIN) group, a mixture of ORE and CIN applied at an equal rate of 400 mg/kg fresh forage. Cinnamon decreased acetic acid (AA), ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N) and weight loss (WL) at the end of 60 days silage. Crude protein (CP) and dry matter (DM) increased by cinnamon essential oil. Yeasts were not detected in any treatments, including the control, after 7 days of air exposure. The CO2 amount decreased and the formation mold was inhibited in the aerobic period by the addition of cinnamon oil. Oregano did not show a similar effect, but when it was used with cinnamon, it showed synergic effect on AA and during aerobic period, it showed antagonistic effect on mold formation and DM losses. It was found in this study that cinnamon can be an alternative to organic acids

Anti-inflammatory efficiency of levobupivacaine in an experimental colitis model

AIM: To investigate the efficiency of levobupivacaine in treating experimentally induced colitis in rats

Postmenopausal women with osteoporosis may be associated with high endothelin-1

Aim. We aimed to find out if there was any difference of the endothelin-1 (ET-1) and asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) levels between osteoporotic and non-osteoporotic healthy postmenopausal women and whether there were any associations between ET-1 and ADMA levels and bone mineral density (BMD)

The efficacy of xenon light endoillumination on vitreoretinal surgery

Amaç: Çalışmamızda 23 gauge transkonjonktival pars plana vitrektomi tekniği ile vitreoretinal cerrahi uygulanan hastaların, xenon ışık kaynağı kullanılarak yapılan ameliyatlarının geriye dönük olarak incelenerek ameliyat süresi, anatomik başarı ve komplikasyonların incelenmesi amaçlanmaktadır. Gereç yöntem: Afyon Kocatepe Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi Göz Hastalıkları Anabilim Dalında Ocak 2010 ile Aralık 2010 tarihleri arasında, Xenon ışık kaynağı kullanılarak gerçekleştirilen 23 gauge pars plana vitrektomi ameliyatı yapılan 135 hastanın 135 gözü çalışmaya dahil edildi. Yirmi üç gauge pars plana vitrektomi tekniği ile vitreoretinal cerrahi uygulanan hastaların kayıtları geriye dönük olarak incelenerek hastaların yaş, cinsiyet, ameliyat endikasyonları, anestezi şekli, anatomik başarı, cerrahinin süresi, gelişen komplikasyonlar, kullanılan göz içi tamponat türü araştırıldı. Bulgular: Hastaların 62’si (% 45.9) erkek, 73’ü (% 54.1) kadındı. Yaş ortalaması 52.4±12.23 yıl idi. Xenon ışık kaynağı kullanılarak gerçekleştirilen 23 gauge pars plana vitrektomi ameliyatı yapılan hastalarda anatomik başarı oranı yüksek olup 134 hastada anatomik başarı elde edilmiş, yalnızca 1 gözde anatomik başarı sağlanamadı. Ortalama ameliyat süresi 65.56±25.78 dakika idi. Gerçekleştirilen pars plana vitrektomi ameliyatlarının 58’inde (% 43) herhangi bir retinal tamponat kullanılmayıp, geri kalan ameliyatlarda kullanılan göz içi tamponatlar ise; 46 (% 34) hastada silikon, 11 (% 8.1) hastada hava, 10 (% 7.4) hastada C3F8 gazı ve 10 (% 7.4) hastada SF6 gazıydı. Xenon ışık kaynağı kullanılarak gerçekleştirilen 23 gauge pars plana vitrektomi ameliyatı yapılan hastalarda ameliyat esnasında gelişen komplikasyonlar 10 (% 7.4) hastada iatrojenik retinal yırtık, 1 (% 0.7) hastada koroid dekolmanı ve 1 (% 0.7) hastada suprakoroidal hemoraji idi. Geriye kalan 123 (% 91) hastanın ameliyatı esnasındaysa herhangi bir komplikasyon gelişmedi. Hiçbir hastada anesteziye bağlı bir komplikasyona rastlanmadı. Sonuç: Xenon ışık kaynağı, ciddi intraoperatif komplikasyonlar gelişmeksizin daha kısa süreler içinde 23 gauge transkonjonktival pars plana vitrektominin yapılabilmesi için yeterli aydınlanma ile yüksek görüntü kalitesi sağlayabilir.Purpose: In our study we aimed to evaluate retrospectively the operation time, anatomical success and complications in patients undergoing vitreoretinal surgery with 23 gauge transconjunctival pars plana vitrectomy technique using xenon light source Material and Methods: One hundred thirty five eyes of 135 patients undergoing 23 gauge transconjunctival pars plana vitrectomy using XENON light source were included into the study between the January 2010 and December 2010 in the Kocatepe University Department of Ophthalmology. After the retrospective review of the files of all the patients who underwent vitreoretinal surgery with 23 gauge transconjunctival pars plana vitrectomy, age, gender, indication for surgery, type of anesthesia, anatomical success, operation time, complications, and type of intraocular tamponade were analyzed. Results: Patients were consisted of 62 men (45.9%) and 73 women (54.1%). Mean age was 52.4±12.23 years. The anatomical success rate in patients who have underwent 23 gauge transconjuntival pars plana vitrectomy with XENON light source was quite high with 134 patients who had achieved anatomically successful outcome except one patient in whom anatomical success could not be obtained. Mean operation time was 65.56±25.78 minute. In 58 (43%) of operations, any intraocular tamponade was not used. In the remaining eyes, silicon tamponade was used in 46 eyes (34%), air in 11 eyes (8.1%), C3F8 gas in 10 eyes (7.4%) and SF6 gas in 10 eyes (7.4%). The complications developed during the pars plana vitrectomy using XENON light source were iatrogenic retinal tear in 10 patient (7.4%), choroid detachment in one patient (0.7%), suprachoroidal hemorrhage in one patient (0.7%). In the remaining eyes (91%), no complication developed during the operation. No anesthesia related complication occurred in none of the patients. Conclusion: XENON light source may provide sufficient illumination with higher quality of image to perform 23 gauge small incision transconjunctival pars plana vitrectomy within shorter operation times by avoiding severe intraoperative complications

Bazı Tıbbi ve Aromatik Bitkilerden Elde Edilen Uçucu Yağların Kimyasal Kompozisyonları

Bu çalışma yem ve gıda endüstrisinde yaygın olarak kullanılan bazı uçucu yağların kimyasal kompozisyonlarının ve antioksidan aktivitelerinin belirlenmesi amacıyla yürütülmüştür. Tarçın, kimyon, defne, nane, kekik, biberiye ve adaçayı uçucu yağlarının başlıca bileşenleri sırasıyla cinnamaldehyde propilene glycol acetat (%41.50), cuminaldehyde (%44.01), 1,8 cineole (%39.55), (+) pullegon (%67.80), carvacrol (%59.03), 1,8 cineole (%30.12) ve (+) camphor (%17.15)'dur. Bu uçucu yağların antioksidan aktivitelerinde önemli düzeyde farklılıklar bulunmuştur (P<0.01). DPPH yöntemine göre en yüksek antioksidan aktiviteyi defne uçucu yağı (%79.00) göstermiştir. Bunu, kimyon (%75.98), kekik (%75.81), nane (%69.49), ada çayı (%69.01), tarçın (%68.83) ve biberiye (%63.88) uçucu yağları izlemiştir. Sonuç olarak, bazı tıbbi ve aromatik bitkilerden elde edilen uçucu yağların DPPH serbest radikal yakalama aktivitelerinin Vitamin E ve Trolox'dan önemli düzeyde yüksek olduğu belirlenmiştir (P<0.01)The present study was conducted to determine the chemical compositions and antioxidant activities of some essential oils of some medicinal and aromatic plants widely used in feed or food industry. The major compounds of the essential oils of cinnamon, cumin, laurel, mint, oregano, rosemary and sage are cinnamaldehyde propylene glycol acetal (41.50%), cuminaldehyde (44.01%), 1,8 cineole (39.55), (+) pullegon (67.80%), carvacrol (59.03%), 1,8 cineole (30.12%) and (+) camphor (17.15%), respectively. There were significant differences in the antioxidant activities of these essential oils (P&lt;0.01). In terms of the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryhydrazyl (DPPH) assay, laurel essential oil (79.00%) demonstrated the highest antioxidant activity, followed by that from cumin (75.98%), oregano (75.81%), mint (69.49%), sage (69.01%), cinnamon (68.83%) and rosemary (63.88%). To conclude, the DPPH free radical scavenging activities of all essential oils from some medicinal and aromatic plant species are significantly greater than those of vitamin E and Trolox (P&lt;0.01