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Case Presentation A 24-year-old woman, a baby-sitter with no known comorbidities, presented to the outpatient department with complaints of modified Medical Research Council grade IV breathlessness for 3 months, chest pain, and dry cough for 2 weeks. There was no known disease history, including respiratory, flu-like illness, or connective tissue disorder. There was no use of chemotherapeutic, oral contraceptive drugs, exposure to toxic substances, or smoking. A review of systems was negative for fever, arthralgia, myalgia, Raynaud phenomenon, skin thickening, rash, or leg swelling. The patient had no family history suggestive of a genetic syndrome.

In this study, a Pb–Sn based alloy has been produced by adding Co and Cr particulate by means of mechanical processes. The effects of Co and Cr particles additions on the abrasive wear behaviours of Pb–Sn alloy were investigated by using a pin-on-disc wear tester. Wear tests were performed under constant rotational speed and variable loads. The weight loss was measured by using a precise balance with accuracy of 10 −4 g at room temperature. Worn surface mechanism, changes of the microstructure, mechanical and phase characteristics of the specimens were examined by using scanning electron microscopy, electron diffraction spectrometer, X-ray diffraction and hardness measurement techniques.

The effect of boron additives and heat treatment on the microstructural morphology of the transition zone in a duplex cast iron, which has an outer shell of white cast iron (with a high Cr-content and containing boron additives) and an inner side composed of normal gray cast iron, has been investigated. For this purpose, two experimental materials possessing different compositions of white–gray duplex cast iron were produced. Subsequently, metallographic investigations were carried out to study the effect of heat treatment applied to the experimental materials by using the scanning electron microscopy technique, along with optical microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. Moreover, the formation of various phases and carbide composites in the samples and their effects on the hardness were also investigated using X-ray diffraction techniques. The results of investigations, and hardness showed that addition of the elements Cr and B to high-alloyed white cast iron affected carbide formation significantly, while simultaneously hardening the microstructure, and consequently the carbide present in the transition area of white–gray cast iron was spread out and became thinner. However, B additives and heat treatment did not cause any damage to the transition region of high Cr-content duplex cast iron.

In this study, are presented and discussed effects of silicon on the abrasive wear behaviour at elevated temperatures of cobalt-based alloys such as Co–28Cr–4W–1.1C–3.2Si, Co–28Cr–4W–1.1C–4.1Si, Co–28Cr–4W–1.1C–5.2Si, respectively. Wear resistance of the materials were measured by a two body pin-on-disk wear tester with SiC and Al2O3 abrasives. The hardness of stellite 6 alloy increased with silicon addition. Wear resistance of stellite 6 with silicon addition has increased at low temperature but, decreased at high temperature. Microstructure of samples has been investigated by optical and SEM techniques.

Microtubules perform a major role in intracellular transportation, a complex and highly regulated process of motor driven transport of cargos such as organelles, protein complexes, and vesicles. Transport is essential for the survival, development, and maintenance of cells. Kinesin-1 is a major motor protein responsible for plus-end directed transport along microtubules in many cell types. Prior work in our laboratory involved studying the effect of crowding on single motors and artificial quantum-dot “cargos.” We found that single molecules were hindered in crowded conditions, but cargos were still able to move long distances. Further, we found that the orientation of multiple microtubules within bundles can alter where and how fast single motors move. Using this technique of imaging quantum-dot cargoes in a single molecule assay, we are interested to learn how single motors and cargos transport in random networks of microtubules that are bundled or crossed. We find that cargos continue to transport, but can become locally pinned to a particular location because of the local orientation and directionality of the microtubules. We are analyzing the mean squared displacements over time to determine the type of motility they display compared to multiple models of particle transport.

Background . Hydatid cyst disease is a significant health problem for undeveloped and developing countries. Although cardiac involvement is rare, early diagnosis and treatment of this situation is important. Methods . To investigate the long-term outcome of patients who underwent operation for cardiac hydatid cysts with intracavitary expansion, we reviewed 8 patients who had cardiac hydatidosis and who underwent operation in our institution between January 1988 and November 1999. All patients presented with intracavitary protrusion of the cysts. Seven patients were women. The mean age was 33 ± 14.3 years with a range of 17 to 55 years. The cysts were located on the right ventricular outflow tract (2 patients), right midventricular part of the muscular septum, left atrial free wall and apical portions of the right (2), or left (2 patients) ventricle. Standard cardiopulmonary bypass and crystalloid antegrade cardioplegia with aortic cross-clamping were used in all patients. In one, with right ventricular hydatid cyst, we used cardiopulmonary bypass with femoral cannulation and total circulatory arrest at less than 18°C systemic hypothermia. This patient, who was arrested because of pulmonary emboli could not be weaned from cardiopulmonary bypass and died. Results . The cystic cavity was cleaned and closed with multiple pursestring sutures in 4 patients. In 2, cardiac and cystic cavities were united by partially resecting part of the cyst facing the cavity. In another patient, a left ventricular patch plasty was performed after removal of the cystic material in the left ventricle. Mebendazole was used postoperatively in all patients. Except for 1 patient who died, all were discharged without postoperative complications. The mean follow-up was 7.5 ± 5 years. There was no late cardiac mortality or recurrence. Conclusions . Cardiac hydatid cysts with intracavitary expansion should be treated surgically without delay. Gentle handling of the heart during cardiopulmonary bypass minimizes operative risk. All patients should be investigated for systemic cysts.

OP-030 Restenosis is an important limitation for coronary stenting. The cause of stent restenosis is neointimal hyperplasia developed from smooth muscle and matrix. We aimed to investigate the association between urotensin II (U-II) and restenosis after coronary stenting which causes endothelial

The Role of Red Blood Cell Distribution width and NeutrophileLeucocyte ratio in Behcet Disease’s Patients. Mehmet Murat Sucu, Bunyamin Kisacik, Yavuz Pehlivan, Vedat Davuto glu, Mehmet Kaplan. Gaziantep University Medical Faculty Department of Cardiology Gaziantep; Gaziantep University Medical Faculty Department of Rheumatology Gaziantep. Objective: Behcet’s disease (BD) is a multisystem disorder. The red cell distribution width (RDW), which is the coefficient of variation of the red cell mean corpuscular volume is, a quantitative description of anisocytosis, or variation in red cell size. This study aimed to determine whether or not RDW could be used for the assessment of disease activity in BD. All clinical data about the patients were obtained from medical charts. Methods: Wehave studied this patients between the years 2008e2013 at our institution. The serum C-reactive protein (CRP) level, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), hemoglobin concentration, platelet and white blood cell counts, neutrophileleucocyte ratio (NLR) and RDW were assessed in 236 BD patients; (131 male/105 female, mean age: 36.5 9,6 years) comprised of 72 healthy patients;( (39 male/33 female, mean age: 36,9 11,8 years). Independent samples t-tests were used for comparison. Results: The CRP level, ESR, hemoglobin concentration, hematocrit, and RDW increased according to disease activity in behcet patients (p

Although mitral stenosis has profound effects on the circulation and hemodynamics, few data exist regarding its impact on aortic elastic properties. The study aim was to determine the association between mitral stenosis and aortic elastic properties by using strain and distensibility as a surrogate.Sixty-six patients with echocardiographic documentation of rheumatic mitral stenosis, and 25 age- and gender-matched healthy control subjects were enrolled in the study. Aortic elasticity parameters including strain and distensibility were measured by means of echocardiography.The mean age of the patient and control groups were 41.8 +/- 12.0 and 38.9 +/- 5.0 years, respectively (p = 0.12). There was a significant impairment in distensibility and strain in the patient group compared to controls (0.276 +/- 0.167 versus 0.491 +/- 0.260 cm2 x dyn(-1), p = 0.001; 6.54 +/- 3.18% versus 9.19 +/- 4.78%, p = 0.015). There was a strong correlation between distensibility and left atrial diameter (p0.001; r = -0.39), left atrial volume index (p0.001; r = -0.56), mitral valve area (p0.001; r = 0.40), and mean transmitral gradient (p = 0.022; r = -0.18). Strain was also associated with left atrial diameter (p = 0.002; r = -0.32), left atrial volume index (p0.001; r = -0.41), mitral valve area (p = 0.002; r = 0.31), and mean transmitral gradient (p = 0.035; r = -0.18).Mitral stenosis was shown to be associated with impaired aortic elasticity, but further studies are required to clarify the clinical significance of this finding.