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Biomedical subjects

C Demir

Publications and source records attributed to C Demir.

16 recordsLinked to original sources

Remifentanil-induced mechanical responses and membrane potential changes in human umbilical arteries.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to evaluate the characteristic features of the mechanical responses and membrane potential changes induced by remifentanil in human umbilical arteries (HUAs). The ionic mechanisms underlying the electrophysiological responses were pharmacologically assessed using two K(+) channel blockers. METHODS: Thirty-eight HUAs were obtained. Contraction-relaxation, membrane potential changes and electrical responses of the HUAs were recorded. RESULTS: Remifentanil produced concentration-dependent relaxation in both endothelium-intact and endothelium-denuded HUA rings. Remifentanil produced a significantly greater relaxation response in intact than in denuded HUA rings. In endothelium-intact rings, pre-treatment with L-nitroarginine [N(w)-NITRO-(L)-ARGININE (L-NO-ARG)] or indomethacin decreased the degree of remifentanil-induced relaxation. Remifentanil (10(-9)-10(-6) mol/l) produced a transient concentration-dependent membrane hyperpolarization, which was not decreased by pre-treatment with L-NO-ARG or indomethacin. It also produced a small concentration-dependent hyperpolarization in the presence of charybdotoxin or tetraethylammonium. CONCLUSION: In both endothelium-intact and endothelium-denuded HUAs, remifentanil induces concentration-dependent vasorelaxation and simultaneously releases nitric oxide, prostaglandins and possibly an endothelium-derived hyperpolarizing factor. In addition, it produces hyperpolarization in a dose-dependent manner. Hyperpolarization induced by remifentanil involves the activation of Ca(2+)-dependent and Ca(2+)-independent potassium channels regulated by intracellular Ca(2+).

Analgesics, Opioid↗

Hematological malignancy and pregnancy: a single-institution experience of 21 cases.

The incidence of hematological malignancies during pregnancy is low, and treatment in this setting is problematic. This study observed 21 pregnancies in 18 patients with hematological malignancies. Patients' ages were between 19 and 43 (median 25) years. Two pregnancies ended with spontaneous abortion, one pregnancy ended with in utero death, three therapeutic abortions were carried out, and 15 infants were born alive but three of them died later. The median birth weight was 2.47 kg. Twelve babies survived to a median age of 36 (range 4-117) months. Eight babies were exposed to chemotherapy during the in utero period. One baby was exposed to chemotherapy during all the trimesters and was born prematurely and later died because of intracranial bleeding. Four babies were exposed to chemotherapy during the first trimester, one of them had low birth weight and floating thumb malformation, two of them had only low birth weight, and one was born healthy, but died at 3 months of age as a result of severe gastroenteritis. Two babies were exposed to chemotherapy during the second and third trimesters; one of them had low birth weight, and the other pregnancy ended in in utero death. One infant was exposed to chemotherapy during the third trimester and was born at term, but died because of pulmonary hemorrhage. We concluded that chemotherapy during all trimesters of pregnancy carries a significant risk for an unfavorable outcome.

Abortion, Spontaneous↗

CA 125 levels in patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma and other hematologic malignancies.

Cancer antigen (CA 125) is a glycoprotein commonly used as a tumor marker. In this study, CA 125 levels were measured in 149 patients and 26 healthy control subjects. The study group included 69 non-Hodgkin lymphomas (NHL), 25 Hodgkin disease (HD), 20 acute myelocytic leukemia (AML), 14 chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), 12 chronic myelocytic leukemia (CML), and nine multiple myeloma (MM) patients. CA 125 was elevated in 37 of the patients and in none of the control subjects. Average CA 125 level in NHL patients was significantly higher than the controls (56.2 +/- 9.2 U/ml, 7.99 +/- 1.05 U/ml respectively) (P < 0.05). CA 125 levels were significantly higher in NHL patients with abdominal involvement (113.6 +/- 23.4 U/ml), with B-symptoms (72.3 +/- 13.2 U/ml), higher stage of the disease (stages III and IV -75.3 +/- 14.9 U/ml), bulky disease (99.9 +/- 30.4 U/ml) and in those with serosal involvement (103.1 +/- 18.5 U/ml) (P < 0.05 for all). CA 125 levels were also elevated in seven patients with HD and in a patient with CLL with pleural effusion. In conclusion, for patients with NHL, high levels of CA 125 were associated with B-symptoms, advanced stage, bulky disease, abdominal, and serosal involvement. Therefore, CA 125 might be used as a marker to predict prognosis and to detect advanced disease in NHL.

Adolescent↗

Microalbuminuria in Hodgkin's disease.

In some malignant disorders, it was reported that urinary albumin excretion (UAE) was correlated with the prognosis and the extent of the disease. In this study, 24-h UAE was determined in 34 Hodgkin's disease patients without prior treatment and 19 healthy controls. Microalbuminuria (MAU) was defined as UAE > or = 20 microg/min. In patients with MAU, UAE was determined again after the treatment. Mean UAE was 31.2 microg/min in the patient group and 5.6 microg/min in the controls (p = 0.005). Whereas MAU frequency was 47% in the patients, there was no MAU in the controls. Mean UAE tended to be higher in advanced stage patients compared to early stage patients (p = 0.051). Also, MAU frequency tended to be higher in the advanced stage group compared to the early stage group (p = 0.196). In four patients in whom remission could not have been achieved, although UAE was reduced, MAU did not disappear. In conclusion, UAE was increased in Hodgkin's disease. However, there is no significant correlation between UAE and the disease extent.

Adult↗

Mycoflora of hazelnut (Corylus avellana L.) and aflatoxin content in hazelnut kernels artificially infected with Aspergillus parasiticus.

In this research, 30 hazelnut samples were used to determine their internal mould populations and their aflatoxin contents. The results showed that Aspergillus was the most common genus in the experimental samples (96.6% of all samples). Thirty-one% of isolates were classified as Aspergillus flavus and none of the samples contained aflatoxins. In the second part of the experiment, the kernels were inoculated with conidia of Aspergillus parasiticus and incubated at three different humidified conditions and two different temperatures for 45 days. Aflatoxin contents of the samples kept in 98% relative humidity and at 28 degrees C were higher (904.6 micrograms/kg) than that of the other samples. On the other hand, no aflatoxin was detected in the control samples that were not inoculated but kept at the same conditions.

Aflatoxins↗

Serum lactate dehydrogenase levels at presentation predict outcome of patients with limited-stage small-cell lung cancer.

Serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) is a biochemical parameter that is elevated in the majority of extensive-stage small-cell lung cancer (SCLC). In this study, distribution and prognostic importance of serum LDH in limited-disease SCLC were investigated. Serum concentrations of LDH were measured in 184 patients at initial examination. These results were compared with prospectively recorded clinicopathologic characteristics and patient outcome data. Significant positive association was found between LDH levels and weight loss, performance status, response to chemotherapy, and albumin but not between age, gender, and hemoglobin values. Patients with high concentrations of LDH had a significantly worse prognosis than did patients with normal levels. The probability of overall survival at 1 year was 60.2% in patients with normal serum LDH levels and 33.1% in patients with higher values (p = 0.0017). Also, the prognostic value of LDH on overall survival was shown in multivariate analysis (p = 0.05). At the time of diagnosis, serum levels of LDH appear to have a significant relation to outcome in patients with limited-stage SCLC.

Adult↗

Response evaluation of bone metastases in breast cancer: value of magnetic resonance imaging.

The clinical utility of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in judging therapeutic response of bone metastases was evaluated in 18 patients with advanced breast cancer. Treatment efficacy was assessed by MRI and conventional methods such as plain radiograph, bone scan, pain and analgesic scale, and serum CA15-3. The response by MRI was evaluated mainly on T1-weighted sequences by measuring the volume of the bone lesion and soft tissue component. The patient was assumed to be a conventional responder if a complete or partial response was observed in any of the conventional methods described above. Response was most concordant between plain radiographs and MRI findings (91%, 10/11, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 58.7-99.8). The rate of concordance was 61% (11/18, 95% CI 35.8-82.7) for all conventional methods and MRI. MRI revealed response in four patients in whom progressive disease was observed by bone scan and the marker response was not measurable. This pilot study suggests that posttherapy evaluation with MRI may provide useful clinical information in breast cancer patients with bone metastases and may be a valuable adjunct to conventional methods with conflicting results.

Adult↗

Intraoperative assessment of depth of myometrial invasion in endometrial carcinoma.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the adequacy of intraoperative assessment of depth of myometrial invasion in patients with endometrial adenocarcinoma. METHODS: Of the 58 evaluable cases, depth of myometrial invasion was estimated by gross examination of fresh tissue by an experienced surgeon and a pathologist and on the frozen section by the same pathologist. This was compared with the depth of invasion on the final microscopic examination performed by another pathologist. RESULTS: The depth of invasion was accurately predicted by the surgeon in 89.7% of the patients, while the pathologist's accurate prediction rates on fresh tissue and frozen section were 86.2% and 91.4%, respectively. The accurate prediction rate gradually diminished for both the surgeon and the pathologist as the histologic grade increased. Frozen section examination was reliable in grade I cancer (100%), while gross examination of the surgeon and the pathologist had a significant error rate in predicting accurate depth of invasion (7.6%-33%). CONCLUSION: If frozen section shows that myometrial invasion in patients with grade 1 endometrial carcinoma is less than 1/3, lymphadenectomy may be omitted. In all other cases radical surgery and surgical staging is mandatory to avoid undertreatment.

Adenocarcinoma↗

Pre- and postprandial total serum bile acid concentration following acute liver damage in dogs.

The importance of preprandial and postprandial total bile acids were investigated in dogs with liver damage induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) administration. Six healthy and mature dogs were used. After base-line clinical and biochemical examinations, hepatocellular damage was induced by oral CCl4 administration. Determinations of plasma total protein (TP), albumin (Alb), total and direct bilirubin (TBil, DBil), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and alkaline phosphate (ALP) along with histologic examination of the livers 10 days following CCl4 administration were conducted to ensure that hepatic damage was in fact induced by the CCl4 administration. Twelve h fasting preprandial and 2 h postprandial serum total bile acids (PRSBA, POSBA) concentrations were also measured. The median plasma TP, Alb, TBil and DBil concentrations did not show any difference (P > 0.05) during the study. Plasma ALT activities increased significantly (P < 0.05, P < 0.01) between on the 3rd and 10th days of the experiment. The median serum values of PRSBA and POSBA were significantly different (P < 0.01) on the first day and continued to be different during the experiment. In conclusion, POSBA seemed to be more reliable than PRSBA in the diagnosis of hepatic necrosis.

Acute Disease↗

Labial fusion in a pubertal girl: a case report.

An 18-year-old virgin, pubertal girl was treated for abnormal menses and dysmenorrhea. She had no history of trauma, sexual infection, or abuse. Occlusion of the introitus of the vagina had been first diagnosed 10 years earlier. The patient presented with fusion of the labia minora in the midline, posteriorly. Her physical examination, ultrasonographic laboratory examination, and intravenous pyelogram were all normal. Following surgical treatment, she had no problems at the time of postoperative follow-up.

Adolescent↗

Detection of quinine and its metabolites in horse urine by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

After oral administration of quinine sulfate to a thoroughbred mare, seven urine samples were obtained over a 45.5 h period. Using gas chromatography -electron impact ionization and positive-ion chemical ionization mass spectrometry, quinine and five putative metabolites were detected and tentatively identified in enzyme-hydrolysed post-administration urine; all metabolites involved some form of oxidation. The parent drug could be detected for about 16 h and some phase I biotransformation products for up to 40 h post-administration.

Animals↗

Fraser syndrome.

In a consanguineous marriage, a woman at 32 weeks' pregnancy presented with intrauterine growth retardation and bilateral renal agenesis. Fraser syndrome (cryptophthalmus syndactyly syndrome) was diagnosed based on cryptophthalmos, atresia of meatus acusticus externus in auricula, syndactyly, hypoplastic larynx, hypoplastic left lung, agenesis of urinary system and aberrant pancreas in duodenum. The syndrome is inherited as a recessive trait and the risk of recurrence is 25%.

Abnormalities, Multiple↗

Human papillomavirus detection in cervical smears and cervical tissue excised by the Loop Electrosurgical Excision Procedure (LEEP). Diagnostic value of cytology, colposcopy and histology.

A study was performed on 176 patients with benign cervical lesions. Human papillomavirus (HPV) structural antigens which were stained with the immunoperoxidase staining were sought for in cervical smears and in cervical tissues excised by the loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP). HPV infection was found in 16.4% of the patients. Furthermore, cytologic screening on Papanicolaou (PAP) smears, colposcopy, and histologic examinations of whole transformation zones excised by the LEEP were performed. The diagnosis of HPV was based on the positive immunoperoxidase staining of either the exfoliated cells or the cervical tissue. HPV was detected on 5.6% of the PAP smears. The reliability of cytologic colposcopic, and histologic diagnosis of HPV was investigated.

Antigens, Viral↗

Etiology of serum CA-125 in patients with endometriosis treated with a gonadotrophin-releasing hormone agonist (Buserelin).

Fifty-six patients with pelvic endometriosis were treated with a buserelin dosage of 200 micrograms/day s.c. for 6 months. Scoring of the American Fertility Society (AFS) for endometriosis was performed by laparoscopy in all cases before and at the end of therapy. Serum CA-125 and estradiol levels were determined before the treatment, and monthly during therapy and follow-up (6 months; respectively). A slight positive correlation was found between serum CA-125 concentrations before treatment and AFS scores for adhesions only. Before treatment, serum CA-125 values also correlated slightly with total AFS scores of patients with adhesions. At the end of the 6-month therapy, no correlation was found between CA-125 concentrations and second-look AFS scores for implants and/or adhesions. Serum CA-125 and estradiol values were closely parallel to each other during and after therapy with the gonadotrophin-releasing hormone agonist buserelin. In conclusion, (1) adhesions may play a role in the elevation of serum CA-125 levels in endometriosis, and (2) a significant decrease in serum CA-125 values during the buserelin therapy may result from a rather different mechanism, such as ovarian suppression, other than the therapeutic effect of this agent.

Buserelin↗