PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

U Kisa

Publications and source records attributed to U Kisa.

6 recordsLinked to original sources

Human hepatocyte growth factor levels in patients undergoing thoracic operations.

Human hepatocyte growth factor (hHGF) is the most potent mitogen identified for alveolar type II cells, and may have other important functions in the repair of the alveolar epithelium and compensatory lung growth. A study was conducted to evaluate the changes of serum hHGF levels in patients who underwent thoracic surgical procedures. The patients comprised 17 males and 14 females with a mean age of 47.1+/-13.5 yrs, who underwent either lung resection (LR group) or nonlung resection (nonLR group) thoracic procedures. The changes of hHGF levels were analysed in the pre- and post-operative periods in both groups. The pre-operative hHGF levels did not differ between the LR and the nonLR groups, which were 333.2+/-72.9 pg x mL(-1) and 343.6+/-125.3 pg x mL(-1), respectively. The hHGF levels in the LR group significantly increased up to 433.6+/-128.1 pg x mL(-1) and 430.8+/-128.2 pg x mL(-1) in post-operative days 1 and 3, respectively. However, the same levels in the nonLR group appeared as 333.2+/-77.0 pg x mL(-1) and 311.9+/-73.0 pg x mL(-1), respectively. In conclusion, the increases of serum human hepatocyte growth factor levels following pulmonary resection may imply the important role of human hepatocyte growth factor in lung regeneration or compensatory lung growth in humans.

Adolescent↗

Tourniquet application and epinephrine injection to penile skin: is it safe?

Although a tourniquet is frequently used in penile surgery there is still no consensus on safe application time. The aim of the present study is to investigate the effect of malondialdehyde (MDA) levels and histological changes in skin flaps after penile tourniquet application and epinephrine injection. A total of 36 male white New Zealand rabbits were randomly divided into six groups each containing six animals. A Mathieu-like flap was raised in all of the groups and a tourniquet was applied and the penis was subjected to ischemia for 10, 20 and 40 min in groups 1, 2 and 3, respectively. The flaps were then allowed to reperfuse for 5 min. Biopsies for MDA measurement were harvested in these groups. Subcutaneous 1/200,000 epinephrine was injected into penile skin in group 4 and 5 rabbits and biopsies for MDA measurement were harvested 10 and 40 min after injection. The control group was anesthetized without tourniquet usage or epinephrine injection. Specimens taken from the harvested flaps of all groups were submitted for histological evaluation. The mean MDA levels in all experimental groups were higher than in the control group and the difference was statistically significant. Edema, congestion and extravasation were observed in groups 1, 2 and 3. Minimal congestion and edema were observed in group 4 and severe edema and extravasation in group 5. Tourniquet usage for a duration of less than 10 min is clearly safer than prolonged usage. Epinephrine injection to penile skin may show a deleterious effect on wound healing.

Animals↗

Candida colonisation within a silicone tissue expander.

The fungal contamination of tissue expanders is rarely reported. There are, however, occasional reports of fungi in association with inflatable mammary implants. We describe the colonisation of a tissue expander with Candida albicans, resulting in the fluid becoming a turbid brown colour. The possible modes of inoculation and survival of the microorganism within the expander shell were investigated by means of biochemical and microbiological analyses of the fluid. The colonisation of silicone implants by opportunistic fungi is probably more common than has been reported, and precautions that can be taken to avoid this complication are emphasised.

Breast Implants↗

Effects of losartan treatment on T-cell activities and plasma leptin concentrations in primary hypertension.

Recent evidence shows that leptin may contribute to elevated blood pressure (BP) and interact with the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone and cellular immune systems. Altered T-cell activities and changes in T-cell subset ratios have also been reported in hypertension. However, little is known about the effects of AT1-receptor antagonism on T-cell activities and plasma leptin concentrations in primary hypertension. We have, therefore, investigated the relationship between leptin and T-cell activities and the effect of an AT1-receptor antagonist, losartan, in primary hypertension. Twenty recently-diagnosed and untreated young adults (11 males and 9 females, age; 39.9+/-7.6 years, range 23-49 years, BMI; 27.6+/-3.7kg/m2) and 20 normotensive healthy, age-, sex- and BMI-matched controls were studied. The [3H]-thymidine uptakes of cultured lymphocytes were determined, both spontaneously and after stimulation with phytohaemagglutinin. The tests were performed before and after three months of treatment with losartan. The results indicate that the blastogenic responses of T-cells to phytohaemagglutinin are significantly higher in the patient group compared with controls (p=0.02). After normalisation of BP, T-cell responses were significantly reduced and were lower than in the controls (p=0.01). Pretreatment plasma leptin levels were significantly higher in hypertensives than in controls (p=0.01). However, losartan treatment had no significant effect on leptin concentrations; moreover, no correlation between leptin levels and T-cell activity was found. Our data show that plasma leptin levels and T-cell activity are markedly enhanced in untreated essential hypertension and that the alteration of T-cell activity is not related to plasma leptin levels. Antihypertensive treatment with losartan decreases T-cell activities but does not influence plasma leptin levels. We conclude that leptin levels are not affected by AT1-receptor blockade and are not related to T-cell activity.

Adult↗

Effects of cerium nitrate bathing and prompt burn wound excision on IL-6 and TNF-alpha levels in burned rats.

The physiopathological events following thermal injury are not limited to the surface effects of heat but are also related to acute inflammatory reactions. Both tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) are important mediators of the acute and severe inflammatory reaction in thermal injury. Surgical manipulation of the burn wound is known to prevent excessive release of cytokines. Cerium nitrate--a rare earth element--has been reported to have a protective effect against postburn immunosuppression. The aim of this study was to compare the effects of burn wound debridement and treatment with cerium nitrate bathing on the serum levels of TNF-alpha and IL-6 in rats. Treatment by cerium nitrate bathing prevented the elevation of TNF-alpha levels in the early period after thermal injury. The experimental study showed, as in other studies, that high levels of IL-6 appear to inhibit TNF-alpha elevation. High levels of IL-6 and, as a result, relatively low levels of TNF-alpha in the early period of thermal injury may limit the severity of the inflammatory reaction, which is caused by TNF, the most potent inflammatory cytokine. Since similar levels of IL-6 and TNF-alpha were achieved by both cerium nitrate bathing and burn wound debridement, cerium nitrate may be considered as equivalent to prompt excision of burn eschar.

Animals↗

Adhesion of different bacterial strains to low-temperature plasma treated biomedical PVC catheter surfaces.

In this study, firstly five different bacteria (i.e. Coagulase positive and negative staphylococcus, Streptococcus pyogenes, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa) with their different strains were isolated and used. The contact angle, surface free energy, p-xylene adhesion, and zeta potential of these bacteria were in the range of 43-69 deg, 45.4-61.8 erg cm(-2), 2.3-80.3%, and from -650.2 to + 17.5 mV, respectively. Most of the bacteria were negatively charged. Attachment of these bacteria to PVC catheter and its DMAEMA- and AAc-plasma treated forms were investigated. Bacterial attachment to the hydrophobic PVC catheter was high. Both plasma treatments caused significant drops in bacterial attachment in most of the cases. The effects of AAc-plasma treatment was more significant.

Acrylates↗