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This study assessed arterial stiffness in head and neck cancer patients using speckle tracking carotid strain ultrasonography (STCS-US). It investigated the impacts of neck irradiation and neck dissection on the arterial stiffness of these patients by comparing their stiffness parameters with those of healthy controls. A total of 101 participants (67 patients and 34 healthy controls) were enrolled in this study. Fifty-two patients received definitive radiation therapy (TD: 60-72 Gy in 30 days) at least two years ago. Participants were grouped into four according to their states of neck irradiation (IR) and neck dissection (ND): Group (IR+/ND-) had 28 patients, Group (IR+/ND+) had 24 patients, Group (IR-/ND+) had 15 patients, and Group (IR-/ND-) had 34 healthy controls. All the participants underwent STCS-US. Arterial stiffness parameters relating to arterial compliance (AC) and elastic modulus (EM) were significantly changed in Group (IR+/ND-) and Group (IR+/ND+) in the transverse plane ( p < 0.001, p < 0.001) and in the longitudinal plane ( p < 0.001, p < 0.001); the change in β-stiffness index (β-SI) was more significant in the transverse plane ( p = 0.002). Group (IR+/ND+) had significant transverse circumferential ( p = 0.001) and radial strain parameters ( p = 0.001). The carotid intimal medial thickness (CIMT) significantly changed in Group (IR+/ND+) compared to controls ( p = 0.001). Our findings indicate that neck irradiation and neck dissection increase arterial stiffness as single treatments; however, double treatment is associated with a higher increase. Neck irradiation affects strain parameters more than neck dissection alone. The study demonstrated the feasibility and clinical value of the STCS method in assessing arterial stiffness and its potential use in cardiovascular risk assessment for patients with head and neck cancer.

Purpose: To investigate the association of hepatic and renal parameters with the development of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) in premature infants with a gestational age ≤ 32 weeks., Methods: Medical records of 240 preterm infants were reviewed retrospectively, 85 of them were grouped as type 1, type 2 ROP, and control group. The 4th week hepatic and renal function test results of the groups, on the day of their first ROP examinations, were compared for the risk of development of ROP and the development of type 1 ROP., Results: In this study, 12, 35, and 38 infants were enrolled in the type 1, type 2 ROP, and control group, respectively. The average gestational age and birth weight were higher; however, the duration of oxygen treatment was lower in the control group (p < 0.001). The blood glucose level was significantly higher in the type 1 ROP group than in the other groups (p = 0.023). The mean of total serum bilirubin of the type 1 ROP group was significantly lower than those of the type 2 ROP and control group (p = 0.032). Proteinuria was present in 85.7% of preterms with treatment-requiring ROP and proteinuria increased the risk of ROP by 3.9 times (OR with 95% CI 3.9 (1.19-12.75), p = 0.042)., Conclusion: We found significantly higher blood glucose and lower total bilirubin level in the type 1 ROP group. Moreover, our findings suggest that proteinuria may not be only a comorbidity factor but also related to a higher frequency of ROP and type 1 ROP in preterm infants., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)

Objectives: We aimed to compare right and left ventricular functions by echocardiography (ECHO) according to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) groups, and to determine their associations with functional parameters. Methods: Data of patients with COPD who underwent ECHO between 2015 and 2018 were analyzed retrospectively. The results of pulmonary function tests, 6-minute-walking test (6MWT), Modified Medical Research Council (mMRC), COPD assessment test (CAT), and BODE scores were recorded together with ECHO results showing right and left ventricular functions. Results: 126 COPD patients were evaluated. Of these, 37.3% was in group A, 28.6% in group B, 12.7% in group C, and 21.4% in group D. Most common comorbidities were cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and pulmonary hypertension (PH); these were most frequently seen in groups D and B. Regarding ECHO parameters, differences were present among groups in systolic pulmonary arterial pressure (sPAP) and left ventricle end-systolic diameter (LVEF) ( p  < 0.001 and 0.004, respectively). sPAP was highest in groups D and B whereas LVEF was lowest in group D. Conclusion: Our results suggest that patients' symptoms in symptomatic COPD groups B and D might be related to increased PAP and concomitant cardiovascular comorbidities. Therefore, a detailed cardiovascular investigation should be performed from early stages in COPD.

Background: Despite significant improvements in the field of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) over the past 40 years, disparate survival rates are reported after in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA). Few studies have addressed the effect of comorbid conditions on survival after IHCA., Objective: Examine IHCAs over a two-year period, determine survival rates, and assess the effects of comorbid diseases on survival after IHCA., Design: Retrospective, cross-sectional study., Setting: Tertiary care hospital in Turkey., Patients and Methods: Patients who had an IHCA recorded in the data management system between 1 January 2016 and 31 December 2017 were evaluated using Utstein-style records for data collection. The Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) was scored retrospectively., Main Outcome Measures: Return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC), survival in the first 24 hours, survival longer than 24 hours, and survival up to 6 months after discharge, CCI score, gender, age, location of IHCA, and first documented heart rhythm., Sample Size: 370 IHCA cases., Results: Of 502 patient, 370 met inclusion criteria. The presence of shockable rhythm was low (15.7%). The CCI was ≤3 in 10% (n=37) of all patients. A CPR duration of ≥20 minutes was the most important risk factor for ROSC. CCI ≥6 reduced ROSC-achieved cases by 2.8-fold ( P=.036) and increased the mortality rate by 2.8 fold ( P=.041). IHCA was most frequent in intensive care units (60.3%, n=223)., Conclusion: Assessing patients at risk in the hospital for comorbid conditions by CCI would be beneficial to prevent deaths related to IHCA. Close monitoring of patients with high CCI scores is advisable, as is making IHCA calls on time., Limitations: Retrospective, small sample size, and no evaluation of the neurological condition of the discharged patients., Conflict of Interest: None.

Objectives: To investigate the correlation between tumor stage, Ki-67, Bcl-2, hypoxia inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α), cyclin D1 and metabolic tumor volume (MTV), total lesion glycolysis (TLG), maximum standardized uptake value (SUV max ) measured by 18 F fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (FDG PET/CT) in patients diagnosed with laryngeal cancer., Patients and Methods: In this study, included 25 consecutive laryngeal cancer patients (2 women, 23 men) diagnosed and treated in the Otorhinolaryngology Department of our tertiary care center. All cases underwent 18 F FDG PET/CT and SUV max , mean standardized uptake value, MTV, and TLG values were calculated. Tumor staging was made and immunohistochemical staining was carried out for Ki-67, Bcl-2, HIF-1α and cyclin D1., Results: Eight (32%) patients had glottic laryngeal cancer, 6 (24%) had supraglottic laryngeal cancer and 11 (44%) had transglottic laryngeal cancer. Cyclin D1 was significantly correlated with MTV (r = 0.45, P = 0.03), TLG (r = 0.492, P = 0.01) and T-stage (r = 0.483, P = 0.02). Bcl-2 was significantly correlated with SUV max (r = -0.41, P = 0.05) and tumor stage (r = -0.442, P = 0.03). MTV and TLG are significantly correlated with nodal stage (r = 0.422, P = 0.04, r = 0.419, P = 0.04), while TLG (r = 0.403, P = 0.05) and SUV max (r = 0.440, P = 0.03) were correlated with tumor stage., Conclusion: Our results indicated that biomarkers such as cyclin D1 and Bcl-2 were correlated with measures such as MTV, TLG, and SUV in 18 F-FDG PET/CT. Integrative and combined evaluation of biomarkers and imaging data derived from 18 F-FDG PET/CT are important for staging and appropriate management of patients with laryngeal cancer., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest

Background: Allergic conjunctivitis (AC) is a frequent and challenging disease in ophthalmology practice. Cell protective effect of Pycnogenol® (PYC) depends on its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. The aim of the study is to investigate the effect of PYC on an experimental AC model., Methods: Ovalbumin and Al(OH) 3 were given seven times intraperitoneally (i.p.) every other day and ovalbumin installed everyday directly on conjunctiva to create an AC rat model. Then, PYC (3 or 10 mg/kg i.p.) was applied in the study groups. Control rats were given adjuvant Al(OH) 3 i.p. and topical saline on conjunctiva. A negative control group in which only PYC (10 mg/kg/7 days) was administered i.p. and an AC positive control group which have been given dexamethasone (1 mg/kg/7 days) was created. Mast cells were counted with a microscope; histological evaluation was performed with H-E and toluidine blue, mast cell tryptase, and TNF-α and TGF-β staining., Results: Pycnogenol treatment alone did not show any detrimental effect. Mast cell count (MCC) decreased in both dexamethasone and 10 mg/kg given PYC treatment groups compared to positive control group and these results were statistically significant (MCC 1.85 ± 0.69, p < 0.001; 2.42 ± 0.53, p = 0.003). Negative staining with TGF-β and weak focal staining with TNF-α were the common findings of dexamethasone and PYC treatment groups., Conclusions: The animal model of AC was successfully developed by using aforementioned way. PYC is a safe herbal product and it has alleviated the findings of ovalbumin-induced AC-similar to dexamethasone-histologically in this experimental model. These results are promising for the future of AC treatment.

Background: Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic, inflammatory bowel diseases characterized by uncontrolled inflammatory condition of the colon and rectal mucosa marked by recurrent periods of remission and exacerbation. Vitamin D receptor (VDR) is a member of the steroid receptor family that mediates the effects of vitamin D by regulating transcription of multiple cellular genes. We aimed to evaluate vitamin d receptor level in biopsy specimen of patients with UC in this study., Methods: VDR levels were retrospectively studied in colon biopsy specimens of UC patients. The Spearman's rho correlation analysis, The Kolmogorov-Smirnov, Mann Whitney U, and chi-square tests were used for statistical analysis. The p values below 0.05 were considered statistically significant., Results: Study included 112 UC patients (65 male and 47 female) and 30 controls (19 female and 11 male) who had normal results in biopsy examinations carried out due to various reasons. VDR levels of UC patients were statistically lower than control subjects, and was not associated with duration of the disease and place of involvement., Conclusions: VDR is an important receptor in the pathogenesis of UC, and optimizing vitamin D levels could have a therapeutic role in UC., (Copyright © 2017 National Medical Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Aim: To investigate the effects of local and systemic administration of etanercept on the formation of epidural fibrosis., Material and Methods: Twenty-eight rats were randomly divided into four equal groups (Control, SpongostanTM, Local etanercept and Systemic etanercept) and laminectomy was performed between T11 and L1 in all rats. SpongostanTM was soaked with saline (0.1 mg/kg), local etanercept (300 ?g/kg) was applied with SpongostanTM and systemic etanercept (300 ?g/kg/week) was applied subcutaneously. Four weeks later, the vertebral column from T9 to L3, including the paraspinal muscles and epidural scar tissue, was removed en bloc, and epidural fibrosis and arachnoidal involvement were graded and evaluated histopathologically., Results: The grading of epidural fibrosis was statistically significantly lower in systemic and local administration of etanercept groups compared to the control group (p < 0.005), but systemic etanercept administration was more effective., Conclusion: Systemic administration of etanercept can be effective in reducing epidural fibrosis in rats after laminectomy.

Objective: The authors aimed to determine whether concentrations of IL-6 and procalcitonin in maternal circulation can be used and compared with cervical length to predict the admission-to-delivery interval in preterm labour., Materials and Methods: Forty patients complicated with preterm labour between 24-34 weeks of gestation and having preterm birth were included in the study group. Fortyfour healthy pregnant women at similar gestational ages and having term labour ('> 37 weeks) were included in control group. Maternal concentrations of IL-6 was measured by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and procalcitonin was measured by immunoturbidimetry with using human procalcitonin reagent kit. Transvaginal ultrasound to assess cervical length was perforned., Results: Receiver operator characteristic (ROC) analysis results of IL-6 and procalcitonin for prediction of preterm delivery (PTD)< 48 hours, < seven days, <32 weeks, < 34 weeks, and < 37 weeks were not statistically significant (p > 0.05). ). It was shown through ROC analysis, that only cervical length had area under curve (AUC) 0.692 (0.511-0.873,p = 0.044) at cut off value ≤ 3.64 cm, AUC 0.758 (0.574-0.943, p = 0.015) at cut off value ≤ 3.50 cm, AUC 0.716 (0.553-0.879,p = 0.032) at cut off value < 3.80 cm, in predicting PTD within seven days, <32 weeks and < 37 week, respectively., Conclusion: This study suggests that in preterm labour, although IL-6 and procalcitonin have unsatisfactory predictive value for the admission-to-delivery interval, cervical length has better predictive values for the admission-to-delivery interval.

Purpose: We aimed to evaluate the relationship between bone mineral density (BMD) disorders and possible risk factors in patients with epilepsy only (EO), cerebral palsy only (CPO), and cerebral palsy-epilepsy (CP + E)., Methods: A total of 122 patients [EO (n = 54), CPO (n = 30), CP + E (n = 38)] and 30 healthy children were evaluated. BMD was only measured in patient groups, not in control subjects. BMD of lumbar vertebrae was determined by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). An abnormal BMD was defined as low or low normal BMD., Results: Low BMD rate in EO, CPO, and CP + E group was 3.7, 50, and 39.5 %, respectively. Abnormal BMD values were significantly related to inadequate dietary Ca intake (p = 0.017), severe intellectual disability (p < 0.001), and immobility (p = 0.018). In multivariate regression analysis, the risk of abnormal BMD was higher (3.9-fold) in patients not able to walk independently than the others (p = 0.029). However, serum Ca-Vitamin D levels, insufficient exposure to sunlight, low BMI, and use of AED were not correlated with abnormal BMD., Conclusion: Abnormal BMD is a common problem in patients with CP and CP + E. Abnormal BMD was related to the severity of CP, but not to vitamin D levels or AED treatment.

Long-term exposure to organophosphate pesticides (OPs) without acute poisoning can lead to various OPs. Environmental exposure to organophosphate pesticides may be associated with depression and suicide attempts in a population living in a rural agricultural area. Patients (n = 149) suffering from major depressive disorder (with and without attempted suicide) and a control group of healthy individuals (n = 64) who had been living in the same rural district for at least 1 year were selected. Red blood cell acetylcholine esterase (RBC-AChE) activity was examined as the basis of evaluating the degree of chronic environmental exposure to OPs residues. There were negative association between RBC-AChE activity levels and suicide attempts, the number of past suicide attempts and hopelessness levels in the depressive patients. The results of the study may support the idea that environmental exposure to OPs may be associated with mental health in individuals living in agricultural districts who are not farmers or working in occupations with access to OPs.

Objective: Thalassemias major are the most common autosomal recessive disorders; they are characterized by anomalies in the synthesis of the beta chains of hemoglobin and are often associated with varying degrees of craniofacial anomalies. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the craniofacial dimensions of β-thalassemia patients and to identify differences by comparing them to those of a control group., Materials and Methods: The study comprised 43 thalassemia major patients and 26 age- and sex- matched healthy control subjects. Anthropometric measurements were performed in six different craniofacial regions (head, face, nose, mouth, eyes, and ears); a total of 23 craniofacial variables were measured., Results: Craniofacial measurements in the regions of the face, nose, lips and mouth, and ears in the thalassemia major patient group yielded statistically significant differences compared to those in the control group (p<0.05). However, no statistically significant differences were observed in the measurements of the head and eye regions., Conclusion: The study increased our understanding of the craniofacial anatomy of thalassemia major patients and enabled us to obtain quantitative results., Competing Interests: No conflict of interest was declared by the authors.

Background: Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction with ST autograft is sometimes unsuccessful because of harvested thin graft. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can be a useful tool to evaluate the thickness of the graft. This study is performed to evaluate whether there is any correlation between diameters and cross-sectional area (CSA) of the semitendinosus tendon (ST) on the preoperative magnetic MRI and the diameter of the 4-stranded ST autograft in ACL reconstruction., Materials and Methods: Seventy patients who underwent single-bundle ACL reconstruction with 4-stranded ST for full-thickness ACL ruptures were included in this study. Anteroposterior (AP) and mediolateral (ML) diameters of ST at the levels of the joint line (JL) and femoral physeal line (PL), and also CSA at these levels were measured on T2-weighted fat-suppressed MRI examinations. The data obtained were compared with intraoperatively measured diameters of 4-stranded ST autograft. Correlations between variables were evaluated using Spearman's rho. Receiver operating characteristic and area under the curve statistics were used to evaluate the cut-off value for the correlation between 4-stranded ST graft diameter of 8 mm and CSA (mm 2 ) on MRI., Results: On MRI measurements, no correlation was found between AP diameters at the level of the JL and 4-stranded ST diameter ( P = 0.180). However, correlations were found between diameter of 4-stranded ST and ML diameter at the level of JL ( P = 0.003) and PL ( P = 0.002), AP diameter at the level of the PL ( P = 0.009), CSA at the level of the JL ( P < 0.001) and at the level of PL ( P < 0.001). Correlation between the diameter of 4-stranded ST and CSA at both levels was more significant than that between AP-ML diameters of ST and diameter of autograft. The cut-off value for the 8 mm diameter CSA of 4-stranded ST was 5.9 mm 2 at the JL and 8.99 mm 2 at the PL., Conclusion: Preoperative MRI evaluation of CSA at the JL of the ST is a reliable parameter to predict graft size. Other graft alternatives should better be considered if the CSA of ST is <5.9 mm 2 at the level of the JL.

The aim of the study was to determine the effect of direct application of rifampin, povidone-iodine, and hydrogen peroxide on the formation of epidural fibrosis in rats. Forty-eight adult male Wistar albino rats were equally and randomly divided into four groups (laminectomy, topical rifampin, topical povidone-iodine, and topical hydrogen peroxide). Laminectomy was performed at the T12 level in all rats. Four weeks later, the extent of epidural fibrosis was assessed both macroscopically and histopathologically. ANOVA test was used for the evaluation of dural thickness. Kruskal-Wallis test was used for the pathology and macroscopic evaluation. Chi-square test was used for evaluation of the arachnoid involvement. p value <0.05 was accepted as statistically significant. Our data revealed that topical application of both povidone-iodine and hydrogen peroxide were effective in reducing epidural fibrosis formation. The results of our study provide the experimental evidence of the preventive effects of topical application of povidone-iodine and hydrogen peroxide over epidural fibrosis.

[Purpose] Physiotherapeutic heating agents are classified into two groups: superficial-heating agents and deep-heating agents. Therapeutic ultrasound is a deep-heating agent used to treat various musculosketal disorders. Numerous studies have attempted to determine the impact of ultrasound on healthy nerve conduction parameters. However, the instantaneous effects of deep heating via ultrasound on demyelinating nerves do not appear to have been described previously. The present study aimed to assess and compare the impact of ultrasound on demyelinating nerve and healthy nerve conduction parameters. [Subjects and Methods] Carpal tunnel syndrome was used as a focal demyelination model. Thirty-two hands of 25 participants with carpal tunnel syndrome were enrolled in the study. Ultrasound parameters were 3.3 MHz, 1.0 W/cm(2), 8 minutes, and continuous wave. Electrodiagnostic studies were performed initially, at the midpoint (4th min), and immediately after (8th min) ultrasound application. [Results] Reduced motor conduction velocity was found in demyelinating nerves at the 4th and 8th minutes. Ulnar nerve onset latency was significantly prolonged in the 8th minute recording, compared to the initial value. There were no significant differences in relative velocity and latency changes between demyelinating and normal nerves. [Conclusion] Deep heating via ultrasound may inversely affect conduction velocity in demyelinating nerves.

Background: Myeloperoxidase (MPO) is a lysosomal hemoprotein found in the azurophilic granules in neutrophils. Myeloperoxidase plays an important role in oxygen-dependent killing of bacteria, fungi, virus and malignant cells. Diabetes mellitus (DM) is listed among conditions that may lead to secondary MPO deficiency in neutrophils but inconsistent results concerning MPO activity in diabetic patients have been reported in the literature. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the relationship between glycemic control in patients with type 2 DM and MPO activity in neutrophils from a histochemical perspective., Methods: The study included 40 patients with type 2 DM with poor glycemic control, 30 patients with type 2 DM with good glycemic control and 31 healthy controls. Peripheral blood smears were analyzed for each patient included in the study. Myeloperoxidase dye was used for staining. Myeloperoxidase ratios in neutrophil were evaluated for proportions of staining with MPO in 100 neutrophils in each smear. SPSS 16.0 version was used for statistical analyses., Results: Myeloperoxidase ratios in neutrophils were 70 (58.5-80) in type 2 DM patients with poor glycemic control compared to 80 (73.75-90) in those with good glycemic control and 88 (78-92) in healthy controls. The DM group with poor glycemic control was statistically significantly different from the other groups (p < 0.001)., Conclusions: Poor glycemic control in diabetic patients results in decreased MPO activity in neutrophils histochemically.

The aim of this study was to evaluate psychosocial distress and improvement in quality of life (QoL) of patients undergoing rhinoplasty and compare the level of distress associated with the types of rhinoplasty. A total of 79 patients who underwent external rhinoplasty were enrolled in the study. The patients were grouped due to primary, secondary, functional and cosmetic rhinoplasty. The patients were evaluated four times: preoperative evaluation, 4th, 12th, and 24th weeks postoperatively and completed questionnaires including the rhinoplasty outcome evaluation (ROE) scale, nasal obstruction symptom evaluation (NOSE) scale, and Derriford Appearance Scale 24 every four visit. The revision cases and patients with cosmetic indication have more emotional distress than others at the preoperative and early postoperative period (p < 0.005). However, the distress level equalize and return baseline values beyond 12 weeks. The ROE and NOSE scores of all patients were very significantly improved by the rhinoplasty (p < 0.001). To our knowledge, this is the first study to evaluate changes in distress of patients undergoing rhinoplasty using DAS-24 scale. The psychosocial distress has a significant impact on quality of life and, therefore, it is an important factor to assess the success of surgery. In addition, regardless of initial demand and type of surgery, rhinoplasty provides improvement in nasal obstruction, and a positive impact on QoL in most of the patients undergoing rhinoplasty.

Objective: The aim in this study was to compare the ultrasound estimation of the jugular vein diameter (IJVmax, IJVmin) and area (IJVarea), the height of the right internal jugular vein (CVPusg), the vena cava diameter (IVCmax, IVCmin), and the vena cava index (IVCindex) with direct estimation of central venous pressure (CVPinv)., Methods: Ultrasonography was performed on 37 nonventilated and 36 ventilated patients while monitoring central venous pressure. The IJV and IVC were measured during the respiratory cycle and the IJVarea and IVCindex were calculated. Tapering portion of the right IJV defined and height from this point to the sternal angle was used to estimate CVPusg., Results: A CVP of 10 mmHg was chosen as a clinically significant cutoff for high CVP, and 6 mmHg was chosen for low CVP estimation. The CVPusg, IJVmax and IJVmin correlated moderately with CVPinv (R² = 0.66, 0.53, and 0.54, respectively) whereas the IVCmax, IVCmin and IVCindex showed poor correlation (R² = 0.29, 0.32 and 0.27, respectively). The CVPusg cutoff value of 7 predicted CVPinv > 10 mmHg with sensitivity of 90%, specific-ity of 67.3% and predicted CVPinv < 6 mmHg with sensitivity of 77%, specificity of 68%. IJVmax, IJVmin, IJVarea and IVCmax showed high sensitivity (90.32%, 83.87%, 90.32%, and 93.10%, respectively) for low CVP levels. The IVCindex has high sensitivity (95.2%) and poor specificity (42.9%) for high CVP levels., Conclusion: IVCindex and CVPusg has better diagnostic performance for estimating high CVP. IJVmax, IJV area, and IVCmax showed high sensitivity and NPV for low CVP levels.

Background: Mean platelet volume (MPV) is a marker which has been investigated in many cancers but data for head and neck lesions are limited. We aimed to study the MPV levels in head and neck cancers as a diagnostic marker., Materials and Methods: A total of 96 head and neck cancer patients and 31 control patients who did not meet exclusion criteria were enrolled in the study. The cancer locations, the platelet and MPV levels at the first diagnosis time were collected., Results: The head and neck cancer location distribution between these patients was 2 (2.1%) buccal, 9 (9.4%) tongue, 6 (6.3) lip, 1 (1%) gingiva, 1 (1%) hypopharynx, 1 (1%) ear, 58 (60.4%) larynx, 2 (2.1%) maxilla, 2 (2.1%) nasal, 1 (1%) nasopharynx, 2 (2.1%) palatal, 3 (3.1%) primary unknown, 1 (1%) retromolar, 1 (1%) thyroid, 2 (2.1%) tonsil, and 4 (4.2%) salivary gland. MPV levels were significantly different between cancer and control group (p=0.002). The cut-off point for MPV predicting head and neck cancer is >10 fL (sensitivity=55.21, specificity=87.10)., Conclusions: MPV level increase, a readily assessable parameter which does not bring extra costs can warn us regarding head and neck cancer risk.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of vitamin E in follicular degeneration and to assess histopathological and biochemical changes following ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injury in rat ovaries. Twenty-eight Wistar albino rats were randomly divided into four groups: sham, 4h torsion, 24h detorsion, and a vitamin E group. Thirty minutes before detorsion, a single dose of 200mg/kg vitamin E was administered intraperitoneally. The ovarian histology score was determined, serum levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and myeloperoxidase (MPO) were measured. The apoptosis of granulosa cells and the phospho-c-jun N-terminal kinase (p-JNK) and phospho-p38 (p-p38) immunoreactivities of these cells were determined. MDA and MPO levels were significantly increased in the torsion and detorsion groups. Hemorrhage, edema, and congestion were also apparent in these groups. In addition, the apoptotic index and the immunoreactivity of p-JNK were highest in the detorsion group, which also showed marked follicular degeneration. However, p-p38 activity was not affected by torsion-detorsion (TD) induction. Vitamin E ameliorated TD-induced histological alterations. It also decreased serum levels of MDA and MPO, reduced the activity of p-JNK in the ovaries, and reduced numbers of apoptotic follicular cells. In conclusion, these data indicate that vitamin E attenuated ovarian follicular degeneration by inhibiting the immunoreactivity of p-JNK and reducing the apoptosis of granulosa cells., (© 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The present study evaluated the effects of curcumin on epithelial cell apoptosis, the immunoreactivity of the phospho-c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and phospho-p38 mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) in inflamed colon mucosa, and oxidative stress in a rat model of ulcerative colitis induced by acetic acid. Rats were randomly divided into three groups: control, acetic acid, and acetic acid+curcumin. Curcumin (100 mg/kg per day, intragastrically) was administered 10 days before the induction of colitis and was continued for two additional days. Acetic acid-induced colitis caused a significant increase in the macroscopic and microscopic tissue ranking scores as well as an elevation in colonic myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity, malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, and the number of apoptotic epithelial cells in colon tissue compared to controls. In the rat colon, immunoreactivity of phospho-p38 MAPK was increased, whereas the phospho-JNK activity was decreased following the induction of colitis. Curcumin treatment was associated with amelioration of macroscopic and microscopic colitis sores, decreased MPO activity, and decreased MDA levels in acetic acid-induced colitis. Furthermore, oral curcumin supplementation clearly prevented programmed cell death and restored immunreactivity of MAPKs in the colons of colitic rats. The results of this study suggest that oral curcumin treatment decreases colon injury and is associated with decreased inflammatory reactions, lipid peroxidation, apoptotic cell death, and modulating p38- and JNK-MAPK pathways.

Background: Pruritus affects the quality of life (QoL) in the patients. However, little is known of the impacts of itching on the QoL in the literature., Objective: In this study, a questionnaire eliciting specific responses about pruritus was used to determine the effect of itching and its severity on QoL in chronic pruritic patients., Methods: One hundred ten adult patients with chronic pruritus were surveyed. Once itch severity had been self-reported by patients, together with Skindex-29, they have been given the 18-item Pruritus-related Life Quality Index (PLQI) questionnaire, which was used to generated the new index., Results: Significant correlations have been found between the pruritus severity score of participants and their total Skindex-29 (p<0.001) with its function, emotion and symptom subscale scores (p<0.001 for each). Also, significant correlations were evident between total PLQI (p<0.001) and its psychosocial negativities, difficulties in everyday activities and social live subscale scores (p<0.001 for each). In particular, the emotion subscale of Skindex-29 (p=0.02) and psychosocial negativity subscale of PLQI (p=0.02) were significantly high in psychopathologic patients. A highly positive statistical correlation between Skindex-29 and PLQI scales was evident (r=0.845, p<0.001). For reliability, Cronbach's coefficient a coefficients were 0.931 for the Skindex-29 scale and 0.918 for the PLQI scale., Conclusion: The results demonstrate that chronic pruritus appreciably reduces the QoL. PLQI could be used in the development of new questionnaires for determining the QoL of patients with chronic itch.

Electrical injuries induce progressive tissue loss. We evaluated the effect of lidocaine on tissue necrosis after electrical burn injuries. Forty-two male Wistar albino rats (250-300 g) were divided into 3 groups [Group A (n=6), control group without an electrical burn injury; and Groups B (n=18) and C (n=18), electrical burn injury groups without and with lidocaine therapy, respectively]. Three separate analyses were performed at different time points on 6 of 18 rats from Groups B and C at each time point. Electrical burns were induced by applying 220 V AC between the left upper and right lower extremities for 10 seconds. Myeloperoxidase and malondialdehyde levels were measured in skin and muscle biopsy specimens after the first hour, fresh and dry weight differences in the amputated extremities were calculated after 24 hours, and live and necrotic tissue areas were measured at 7 days after burn injury. We found that lidocaine reduced edema, the number of neutrophils, and neutrophil damage in tissues. We conclude that lidocaine decreased the amount of necrotic tissue caused by electric injury.

Purpose: The aim of the study is to assess the predictive power of DCE-MRI semi-quantitative parameters during treatment of breast cancer, for disease-free (DFS) and overall survival (OS)., Materials and Methods: Forty-nine women (age range, 28-84 years; mean, 50.6 years) with breast cancer underwent dynamic contrast enhancement MRI at 1.0T imaging, using 2D FLASH sequences. Time intensity curves (TICs) were obtained from the regions showing maximal enhancement in subtraction images. Semi-quantitative parameters (TICs; maximal relative enhancement within the first minute, E (max/1); maximal relative enhancement of the entire study, E(max); steepest slope of the contrast enhancement curve; and time to peak enhancement) derived from the DCE-MRI data. These parameters were then compared with presence of recurrence or metastasis, DFS and OS by using Cox regression (proportional hazards model) analysis, linear discriminant analysis., Results: The results from of the 49 patients enrolled into the survival analysis demonstrated that traditional prognostic parameters (tumor size and nodal metastasis) and semi-quantitative parameters (E(max/1), and steepest slope) demonstrated significant differences in survival intervals (p<0.05). Further Cox regression (proportional hazards model) survival analysis revealed that semi-quantitative parameters contributed the greatest prediction of both DFS, OS in the resulting models (for E(max/1): p=0.013, hazard ratio 1.022; for stepest slope: p=0.004, hazard ratio 1.584)., Conclusion: This study shows that DCE-MRI has utility predicting survival analysis with breast cancer patients., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.)