Showing papers by "Dicle University published in 2011"

A population-based survey of Chronic REnal Disease In Turkey—the CREDIT study

Abstract: Background. Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a growing health problem worldwide that leads to end-stage kidney failure and cardiovascular complications. We aimed to determine the prevalence of CKD in Turkey, and to evaluate relationships between CKD and cardiovascular risk factors in a population-based survey. Methods. Medical data were collected through home visits and interviews. Serum creatinine, blood glucose, total cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL, LDL and uric acid were determined from 12-h fasting blood samples, and spot urine tests were performed for subjects who gave consent to laboratory evaluation. Results. A total of 10 872 participants were included in the study. The final analysis was performed on 10 748 subjects (mean age 40.5 ± 16.3 years; 55.7% women) and excluded 124 pregnant women. A low glomerular filtration rate (GFR) (< 60 mL/min/1.73 m2) was present in 5.2% of the subjects who were evaluated for GFR, while microalbuminuria and macroalbuminuria were observed in 10.2% and 2% of the subjects, respectively. The presence of CKD was assessed in subjects who gave consent for urinary albumin excretion measurement (n = 8765). The overall prevalence of CKD was 15.7%; it was higher in women than men (18.4% vs. 12.8%, P < 0.001) and increased with increasing age of the subjects. The prevalence of hypertension (32.7% in the general population), diabetes (12.7%), dyslipidaemia (76.3%), obesity (20.1%) and metabolic syndrome (31.3%) was significantly higher in subjects with CKD than subjects without CKD (P < 0.001 for all). Conclusions. The prevalence of CKD in Turkey is 15.7%. Cardiovascular risk factors were significantly more prevalent in CKD patients.

Quality of life and related variables in patients with ankylosing spondylitis

Abstract: To evaluate quality of life (QoL) and related variables in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS), a chronic inflammatory disease of the spine. Nine-hundred and sixty-two patients with AS from the Turkish League Against Rheumatism AS Registry, who fulfilled the modified New York criteria, were enrolled. The patients were evaluated using the Assessment of SpondyloArthritis International Society core outcome domains including Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI), fatigue (BASDAI-question 1), pain (last week/spine/due to AS), Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index (BASFI), Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Metrology Index (BASMI), Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Radiology Index (BASRI), Maastricht Ankylosing Spondylitis Enthesitis Score (MASES) and two QoL questionnaires (the disease-specific ASQoL and generic the Short Form-36 [SF-36]). The mean ASQoL score was 7.1 ± 5.7. SF-36 subscales of general health, physical role and bodily pain had the poorest scores. ASQoL was strongly correlated with disease duration, BASDAI, fatigue, BASFI, BASMI, BASRI, MASES, pain and SF-36 subscales (P < 0.001). SF-36 subscales were also strongly correlated with BASDAI and BASFI. Advanced educational status and regular exercise habits positively affected QoL, while smoking negatively affected QoL. In patients with AS, the most significant variables associated with QoL were BASDAI, BASFI, fatigue and pain. ASQoL was noted to be a short, rapid and simple patient-reported outcome (PRO) instrument and strongly correlated with SF-36 subscales.

Optimization of drilling parameters on surface roughness in drilling of AISI 1045 using response surface methodology and genetic algorithm.

Abstract: Modeling and optimization of cutting parameters are one of the most important elements in machining processes. The present study focused on the influence machining parameters on the surface roughness obtained in drilling of AISI 1045. The matrices of test conditions consisted of cutting speed, feed rate, and cutting environment. A mathematical prediction model of the surface roughness was developed using response surface methodology (RSM). The effects of drilling parameters on the surface roughness were evaluated and optimum machining conditions for minimizing the surface roughness were determined using RSM and genetic algorithm. As a result, the predicted and measured values were quite close, which indicates that the developed model can be effectively used to predict the surface roughness. The given model could be utilized to select the level of drilling parameters. A noticeable saving in machining time and product cost can be obtained by using this model.

Relationship between psychological status and disease activity and quality of life in ankylosing spondylitis

Abstract: Our aim in this study was to compare the depression and anxiety risk in patients with AS and healthy controls and also to determine the relationship between disease activity, quality of life and psychological well-being Two hundred and forty-three patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and 118 age-, sex- and education-matched healthy controls were enroled into the study Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI), and Functional Index, and Metrology Index, Health Assessment Questionnaire for Spondyloarthropathies (HAQ-S), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) including depression subscale (HADS-D) and anxiety subscale (HADS-A), Ankylosing Spondylitis Quality of Life (ASQoL) Scale, duration of morning stiffness, pain-visual analogue scale (VAS), patient and physician’s global assessment of disease activity (100 mm VAS) were used to assess clinical and psychological status Patients had similar HADS-D but higher HADS-A than healthy controls Patients with high risk for depression and anxiety had higher scores in BASDAI, BASFI and also poorer scores in VAS pain, patient global assessment, physician global assessment, HAQ-S and ASQoL There was a negative correlation of HADS-D and HADS-A scores with educational level of the patients Higher scores in HADS-D and HADS-A indicated poorer functional outcome and quality of life Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that the HADS-D (OR = 684), HAQ-S (OR = 176), VAS pain score (OR = 103) and ESR (OR = 102) were independent risk factors for higher anxiety scores whereas HADS-A (OR = 136) and ASQoL (OR = 124) were independent risk factors for higher depression scores The psychological status had close interaction with disease activity and quality of life in patients with AS

High plasma nesfatin-1 level in patients with major depressive disorder.

Abstract: Aim In the present study, our aim was to determine the changes in the plasma concentrations of a recently discovered peptide hormone nesfatin-1 in patients with major depressive disorder and then to make a comparison with the control group. Method Subjects in the patient group were randomly selected from Mustafa Kemal University, Medical School, Research and Training Hospital, Psychiatry Department, Outpatient Clinic and subjects in the control group were selected from healthy volunteers. Healthy control subjects were matched in terms of weight and body mass index. Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D) was applied to both groups. ELISA method was used for measurement of plasma nesfatin-1 levels. Results The average nesfatin-1 level was statistically higher in patients with major depressive disorder than in the control group (p < 0.001). A positive correlation was observed between plasma nesfatin-1 levels and HAM-D scores both in the patient group (r = 0.59, p < 0.001) and in the control group (r = 0.58, p < 0.001). Conclusion Our findings suggest a possible relationship between major depressive disorder and high plasma nesfatin-1 level.

Clinical presentation and management of Fasciola hepatica infection: Single-center experience

Abstract: AIM: To identify the characteristic clinical, laboratory and radiological findings and response to treatment in patients with fascioliasis. METHODS: Patients who were diagnosed with Fasciola hepatica infection were included in this prospective study. Initial clinical, laboratory and radiological findings were recorded. All patients were followed until a complete response was achieved or for 6 mo after treatment discontinuation. RESULTS: Fasciola hepatica infection was diagnosed in 30 patients (24 females; mean age: 42.6 years) between January 2008 and February 2011. Twenty-two (73%) patients had hepatic phase fascioliasis, 5 patients had biliary phase, and 3 patients had biliary phase associated with acute pancreatitis. Of the 8 patients with biliary phase fascioliasis, 2 patients displayed features that overlapped with both hepatic and biliary phase. Abdominal pain and right upper abdominal tenderness were the most prominent signs and symptoms in all patients. Eosinophilia was the most prominent laboratory abnormality in both patients with hepatic and biliary phase (100% and 50%, respectively). Multiple nodular lesions like micro-abscesses on abdominal computerized tomography were the main radiological findings in patients with hepatic phase. Small linear filling defects in the distal choledochus were the main endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) findings in patients with biliary phase. Patients with hepatic phase were treated with triclabendazole alone, and patients with biliary phase were treated with triclabendazole and had live Fasciola hepatica extracted from the bile ducts during ERCP. CONCLUSION: Fasciola hepatica infection should be considered in the differential diagnosis of patients with hepatic or biliary disease and/or acute pancreatitis associated with eosinophilia.

Serum cytokine and pro-brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) levels in patients with migraine.

Abstract: Objective: Although mi- graine has been related with an increased risk for ischemic stroke and cardiovascular events, there is insufficient data for role of pro-brain natriuretic peptide (pro-BNP) in migraine. In present case-control study, serum levels of pro-inflammatory (TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6) and anti-inflammatory cytokines (IL-2, and IL-10) of migraine patients were investigated to deter- mine the role of cytokines and pro-BNP in mi- graine. Patients and Methods: Sixty-four consecu- tive newly diagnosed migraine patients and 34 healthy controls were enrolled. Serum TNF-α, IL- 1β, IL-2, IL-6, IL-10 and pro-BNP levels were mea- sured by using a chemiluminescence assay. Results: Migraine patients had significantly higher concentrations of IL-1β and IL-6 com- pared with the healthy controls (for IL-1β; 5.73 ± 1.44 vs. 4.90±1.40 pg/mL, respectively, p =0.006; for IL-6; 3.1±1.44 vs. 2.40±0.22 pg/mL, respec- tively, p =0.007). The mean IL-10 levels were found to be significantly lower in migraine pa- tients (3.38±2.93 pg/mL) than controls (6.76 ± 1.48 pg/mL) (p =0.007). There were no differ- ences in TNF-α (27.2±48.1 vs. 15.4±0.7) and IL-2 (1017±661 vs. 1153±228) levels between pa- tients with migraine and healthy controls. Mi- graine patients had higher concentrations of pro-BNP compared with healthy controls (27.0 ± 28.0 versus 13.2±8.6, p =0.006). Conclusions: Migraine patients have higher serum IL-1β and IL-6 levels, and lower IL-10 levels than healthy subjects. These findings support that cytokines may be related to neu- rogenic inflammation in the pathogenesis of migraine. Also, increased pro-BNP may indi- cate to preclinical cardiac involvement in pa- tients with migraine.

The complications of transforaminal lumbar epidural steroid injections

Abstract: Study design A prospective observational study. Objective In this study, we aimed to investigate the major and minor complications of transforaminal lumbar epidural steroid injections guided by fluoroscopy and the incidence of vascular penetration encountered during this procedure. Summary of background data Epidural steroid administration is one of the treatment options for lumbar disc hernia accompanied by radiculopathy. This method, initially applied by blind interlaminar technique, has generally been performed by fluoroscopically guided transforaminal method now. The complications of this method cause to a serious concern. The complications of this intervention have been reported by either mostly retrospective studies or case reports until now. Prospective studies with large patient series are needed to determine the types and incidences of the complications. Methods In this study carried out for more than 5 years, major and minor complications of transforaminal lumbar epidural steroid injections were investigated prospectively. All of the interventions were performed under fluoroscopic guidance by the same physician using a standardized method. A follow-up was made once in the third week. The complications encountered during the procedure and in the third week were prospectively recorded. In addition, the incidence of vascular penetration that is potentially hazardous is included in the study. Results A total of 562 patients were performed 1305 times transforaminal lumbar epidural steroid. The overall incidence of vascular penetration encountered was 7.4%. Although major complications were not seen, the total rate of all minor complications was 11.5%. Whereas all of the minor complications were transient, the most frequent minor complication was vasovagal reaction (8.7%). Conclusion On the basis of the results of this study in which only minor complications were encountered, it can be said that the frequency of major complications is pretty rare in transforaminal lumbar epidural steroid injections in expert hands and in the conditions in which safety precautions are taken.

Parameter Estimation in Stochastic Differential Equations

Abstract: Financial processes as processes in nature, are subject to stochastic fluctuations. Stochastic differential equations turn out to be an advantageous representation of such noisy, real-world problems, and together with their identification, they play an important role in the sectors of finance, but also in physics and biotechnology. These equations, however, are often hard to represent and to resolve. Thus we express them in a simplified manner of approximation by discretization and additive models based on splines. This defines a trilevel problem consisting of an optimization and a representation problem (portfolio optimization), and a parameter estimation (Weber et al. Financial Regression and Organization. In: Special Issue on Optimization in Finance, DCDIS-B, 2010). Two types of parameters dependency, linear and nonlinear, are considered by constructing a penalized residual sum of squares and investigating the related Tikhonov regularization problem for the first one. In the nonlinear case Gauss–Newton’s method and Levenberg–Marquardt’s method are employed in determining the iteration steps. Both cases are treated using continuous optimization techniques by the elegant framework of conic quadratic programming. These convex problems are well-structured, hence, allowing the use of the efficient interior point methods. Furthermore, we present nonparametric and related methods, and introduce into research done at the moment in our research groups which ends with a conclusion.

The hepatoprotective effect of coumarin and coumarin derivates on carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatic injury by antioxidative activities in rats.

Abstract: Coumarins are a vast group of natural compounds and some of them possess antioxidant activities. The comparison of the antioxidant activity of some coumarins with various chemical molecular structure has not been investigated in previous studies. Therefore, this study was aimed to investigate the hepatoprotective effect against carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) -induced hepatic injury by coumarin (1,2-benzopyrone) and coumarin derivatives, esculetin (6,7-dihydroxycoumarin), scoparone (6,7-dimethoxycoumarin), and 4-methylumbelliferone (7-hyroxy-4-methyl) in male Sprague–Dawley rats. Product of lipid peroxidation, malondialdehyde (MDA), activities of antioxidant enzymes, superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) were evaluated for oxidative stress in hepatic injury. Gamma glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) were detected in plasma as a biomarker of hepatic injury. Significantly elevated levels of MDA and lowered levels of SOD and CAT activities were observed in liver of rats exposed to CCl4, when compared to control values. Similarly, administration of CCl4 increased LDH and GGT levels in serum. Pre-treatment of rats with esculetin (35 mg kg−1, orally) and scoparone (35 mg kg−1, orally) significantly prevented CCl4-induced decrease in MDA levels and increase in SOD and CAT, whereas 4-methylumbelliferone (35 mg kg−1) and coumarin (30 mg kg−1) had no effect against CCl4-induced rise in serum enzymes. Esculetin and scoparone also showed protective properties as was evidenced in reduced LDH and GGT levels in serum. The results of this study indicate that the chemical structures of coumarins play an important role in the prevention of oxidative stress.

Urgent thoracotomy for penetrating chest trauma: Analysis of 158 patients of a single center

Abstract: Background Penetrating injuries to the chest present a frequent and challenging problem, but the majority of these injuries can be managed non-\operatively. The aim of this study was to describe the incidence of penetrating chest trauma and the ultimate techniques used for operative management, as well as the diagnosis, complications, morbidity and mortality. Methods A retrospective 9-year review of patients who underwent an operative procedure following penetrating chest trauma was performed. The mechanism of injury, gender, age, physiological and outcome parameters, including injury severity score (ISS), chest abbreviated injury scale (AIS) score, lung injury scale score, concomitant injuries, time from admission to operating room, transfusion requirement, indications for thoracotomy, intra-operative findings, operative procedures, length of hospital stay (LOS) and rate of mortality were recorded. Results A total of 1123 patients who were admitted with penetrating thoracic trauma were investigated. Of these, 158 patients (93 stabbings, 65 gunshots) underwent a thoracotomy within 24 h after the penetrating trauma. There were 146 (92.4%) male and 12 (7.6%) female patients, and their mean age was 25.72 ± 9.33 (range, 15–54) years. The mean LOS was 10.65 ± 8.30 (range, 5–65) days. Patients admitted after a gunshot had a significantly longer LOS than those admitted with a stab wound (gunshot, 13.53 ± 9.92 days; stab wound, 8.76 ± 6.42 days, p Conclusion Penetrating injuries to the chest requiring a thoracotomy are uncommon, and lung-sparing techniques have become the most frequently used procedures for lung injuries. The presence of associated abdominal injuries increased the mortality five-fold. Factors that affected mortality were ISS, chest AIS score, SBP, ongoing chest output, blood transfusion volume, diaphragmatic injury and associated abdominal injury.

Behavior of FRP-Retrofitted Joints Built with Plain Bars and Low-Strength Concrete

Abstract: Two series of tests on eight full-scale exterior beam-column joint subassemblages built with plain bars and low-strength concrete were conducted. No transverse reinforcement was present in the joint cores. In the first series of tests, which included three specimens, the behavior of joints before fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) retrofitting was investigated. In the second series, which included five specimens, the behavior of the FRP-retrofitted joints was investigated. The six specimens consisted of a column, an in-plane beam, a transverse beam, and a slab part, and two specimens were plane members without transverse beams and slabs. The utilized retrofitting scheme is easily applicable for actual exterior beam-column joints, even in the presence of a transverse beam and a slab. Two types of strength limitation were observed for specimens in the first series. The strength of the specimen with beam longitudinal bars sufficiently anchored to the joint core was limited by the shear strength of the joint. The strengths of the other two specimens were limited by the slip of the beams’ longitudinal bars at their anchorages. In the second series of tests, significantly better performance was obtained both in terms of shear strength and ductility, provided that the slip of the beam bars was prevented. Furthermore, by using a simple theoretical algorithm based on truss analogy, the strength and deformability characteristics of the tested reference and FRP-retrofitted joints are predicted with reasonable accuracy. The same algorithm is used for predicting the joint shear strength of specimens tested by other researchers, and satisfactory agreement is obtained between the predictions and test results.

Mandibular asymmetry in unilateral and bilateral posterior crossbite patients using cone-beam computed tomography

Abstract: Objective: To test the hypotheses that (1) there is no difference in mandibular asymmetry between the crossbite and normal side in a unilateral crossbite group (UCG) and between the right and left sides in a bilateral crossbite group (BCG) and a control group (CG); and (2) there is no significant difference in mandibular asymmetry among crossbite groups and control group. Materials and Methods: The cone-beam computed tomography scans of three groups were studied: (1) 15 patients (6 male, 9 female; mean age: 13.51 6 2.03 years) with unilateral posterior crossbite; (2) 15 patients (8 male, 7 female; mean age: 13.36 6 2.12 years) with bilateral posterior crossbite; and (3) 15 patients (8 male, 7 female; mean age: 13.46 6 1.53 years) as a control group. Fourteen parameters (eight linear, three surface, and three volumetric) were measured. Side comparisons were analyzed with paired samples t-test, and for the intergroup comparison, analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Tukey tests were used at the P , .05 level. Results: According to side comparisons, no statistically significant difference was found in the UCG. There were statistically significant differences in hemimandibular (P 5 .008) and ramal (P 5 .004) volumes for the BCG and in ramal height (P 5 .024) and body length (P 5 .021) for the CG. Intergroup comparisons revealed significant differences in hemimandibular (P 5 .002) and body volume (P , .001) for the normal side of the UCG and left sides of the other groups, and in angular unit length (P 5 .025) and condylar width (P 5 .007) for the crossbite side of the UCG and the right sides of the other groups. Conclusions: Contrary to UCG, CG and BCG were found to have side-specific asymmetry. Skeletal components of the mandible have significant asymmetry among the crossbite groups and the CG. (Angle Orthod. 2011;81:966–974.)

Impact of chromium histidinate on high fat diet induced obesity in rats

Abstract: Background: Chromium (Cr) is an essential trace element that has garnered interest for use as a weight loss aid, but its molecular mechanism in obesity is not clear. In this study, an attempt has been made to investigate the effects of chromium histidinate (CrHis) on glucose transporter-2 (GLUT-2), nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-B p65) and the oxidative stress marker 4-hydroxynonenal adducts (HNE) expressions in liver of rats fed high fat diet (HFD). Methods: Male Wistar rats (n = 40, 8 wk-old) were divided into four groups. Group I was fed a standard diet (12% of calories as fat); Group II was fed a standard diet and supplemented with 110 μg CrHis/kg BW/d; Group III was fed a HFD (40% of calories as fat); Group IV was fed HFD and supplemented with 110 μg CrHis/kg BW/d. Results: Rats fed HFD possessed greater serum insulin (40 vs.33 pmol/L) and glucose (158 vs. 143 mg/dL) concentration and less liver Cr (44 vs.82 μg/g) concentration than rats fed the control diet. However, rats supplemented with CrHis had greater liver Cr and serum insulin and lower glucose concentration in rats fed HFD (P < 0.05). The hepatic nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-B p65) and HNE were increased in high fat group compared to control group, but reduced by the CrHis administration (P < 0.05). The levels of hepatic Nrf2 and HO-1 were increased by supplementation of CrHis (P < 0.05). Conclusion: These findings demonstrate that supplementation of CrHis is protective against obesity, at least in part, through Nrf2-mediated induction of HO-1 in rats fed high fat diet.

Load-bearing capacity of handmade and computer-aided design--computer-aided manufacturing-fabricated three-unit fixed dental prostheses of particulate filler composite.

Abstract: Objective. To compare handmade and computer-aided design–computer-aided manufacturing (CAD-CAM)-fabricated fixed dental prostheses (FDPs) composed of a particulate filler composite. Material and methods. Handmade FDPs were made of restorative composite (Z 100) and CAD-CAM-fabricated FDPs were made of commercial CAD-CAM blocks (VITA Temp) and two experimental CAD-CAM blocks of particulate filler composite. Experimental CAD composite A was prepared by mixing 31.2 wt.% of dimethacrylate resin with 68.7 wt.% of filler particles of barium oxide silicate (BaSiO2). Experimental CAD composite B was prepared by mixing 25.6 wt.% of dimethacrylate resin with 74.3 wt.% of filler particles of BaSiO2. Six groups were fabricated (n = 6 in each); FDPs were statically loaded until final fracture. Results. Experimental CAD composites A and B revealed the highest load-bearing capacity of the FDPs, while Z 100 showed the lowest. Conclusion. FDPs made of experimental CAD composite blocks showed higher load-bearing ca...

Comparison of root canal transportation induced by three rotary systems with noncutting tips using computed tomography

Abstract: Objective The purpose of this study was to compare the shaping ability (apical transportation and straightening) of 3 nickel-titanium rotary instruments (ProTaper Universal, Hero 642 Apical, FlexMaster) with noncutting tips in curved root canals of extracted human teeth using cone beam computed tomography (CBCT). Study design Sixty mesiobuccal root canals of maxillary molars with curvatures of 25° to 47° were equally divided into 3 groups and embedded in silicone impression material. The root canals were scanned using CBCT (Next Generation i-CAT) and after scanning working length was determined with a hand file to preserve the original curvature. After preparation, teeth were placed into their original positions on the silicone impression material and postinstrumentation scans were performed using the same parameters (4-cm field of view at 0.125-mm voxel). Pre- and postinstrumentation images obtained from root cross-sections located 2, 3, and 4 mm above the apical foramen were compared using Adobe Photoshop software. Transportation was measured by superimposition of final and initial images. Any distance (mm) between prepared and anatomic canal centers was defined as apical transportation. Canal curvatures were measured before and after instrumentation using computed tomography and images were exported to ImageJ software. Differences in the degree and radius of curvature were regarded as straightening. Data were analyzed by ANOVA. Results Mean transportation values were 0.10 ± 0.03 mm for ProTaper Universal, 0.09 ± 0.03 mm for Hero 642 Apical, and 0.07 ± 0.02 mm for FlexMaster, and the differences were not significant. Mean values for straightening among the groups were not significantly different ( P > .05). The performances of all instruments were similar. Conclusion Apical transportation occurred with all the instruments despite their noncutting tips.

Development and Validation of a High-Performance Liquid Chromatography Method for Determination of Cefquinome Concentrations in Sheep Plasma and Its Application to Pharmacokinetic Studies

Abstract: Cefquinome has a broad spectrum of antibacterial activity and was developed especially for use in animals. A simple and sensitive high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method with UV-visible detection for quantification of cefquinome concentrations in sheep plasma was developed and validated. Separation of cefquinome from plasma components was achieved on a Phenomenex Gemini C18 column (250 mm by 4.6 mm; internal diameter [i.d.], 5 μm). The mobile phase consisted of acetonitrile and 0.1% trifluoroacetic acid in water and was delivered at a rate of 0.9 ml/min. A simple and rapid sample preparation involved the addition of methanol to 200 μl of plasma to precipitate plasma proteins followed by direct injection of 50 μl of supernatant into the high-performance liquid chromatography system. The linearity range of the proposed method was 0.02 to 12 μg/ml. The intraday and interday coefficients of variation obtained from cefquinome were less than 5%, and biases ranged from −3.76% to 1.24%. Mean recovery based on low-, medium-, and high-quality control standards ranged between 92.0 and 93.9%. Plasma samples were found to be stable in various storage conditions (freeze-thaw, postpreparative, short-term, and long-term stability). The method described was found to be readily available, practicable, cheap, rapid, sensitive, precise, and accurate. It was successfully applied to the study of the pharmacokinetics of cefquinome in sheep. This method can be very useful and an alternate to performing pharmacokinetic studies in the determination of cefquinome for clinical use.

Intra-articularly applied pulsed radiofrequency can reduce chronic knee pain in patients with osteoarthritis

Abstract: Background Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most widespread chronic joint disease worldwide. Symptomatic knee OA is observed in approximately 12% of individuals more than 60 years of age. Conservative treatments models may not be effective always, and that some of them have serious adverse effects that prompted the researchers to research different treatment methods. In this study, we investigated short- and mid-term effectiveness of intra-articular pulsed radiofrequency (PRF) applied in patients with chronic knee pain due to OA. Methods This study was carried out in the pain management center of a university hospital between January 2009 and June 2009. The patient record files of 31 patients who received intra-articular PRF were retrospectively reviewed. The antero-lateral area of the knee, where the intervention would be applied, was anesthetized with 1% lidocaine. An introducer needle was placed intra-articularly. PRF was started as 42°C at 2 Hz for 15 minutes. The pain of the patients was evaluated by 10 cm Visual Analog Scale (VAS). Furthermore, the ages, the gender, the symptom duration of the patients, the side of the knee on which the intervention was applied, and the complications were collected for statistical evaluation. Results Although the mean initial VAS scores of the patients were 6.1 ± 0.9 cm, it was found, respectively, to be 3.9 ± 1.9 cm and 4.1 ± 1.9 cm at the first- and sixth-month follow-ups. In general, a decrease of 32.8% in mean in the VAS scores was achieved in the last follow-up; whereas the rate of patients reporting a minimum decrease of 2 points in the VAS scores was 64.5% and the rate of patients reporting a decrease of ≥50% in their pain was calculated as 35.5%. Conclusion PRF applied to the knee joint appears to be an effective and safe method.

Double Standard for Traditional Value of Virginity and Premarital Sexuality in Turkey: A University Students Case

Abstract: This study investigates the prevalence of myths regarding virginity and the hymen and their associations with sexuality prior to marriage. This study was conducted with 534 single, heterosexual male and female students from various faculties of Dicle University in Turkey. The findings demonstrated that the rates of masturbation (11.1%) and premarital sexual intercourse (4.3%) were much lower in women than in men (87.7% and 44.2% respectively) who were traditionally expected to maintain their virginity until marriage. A higher degree of commitment to religious faith was associated with a lower rate of masturbation and sexual contact experience. Also, the myth that the hymen symbolized virginity was slightly more prevalent among male students (74.2% vs. 72.1%). Female virginity was significantly more important among male students (76.7%) than females (11.1%), and male students more frequently (30.1% vs. 11.1%) stated that "the blood-stained bed sheet" should be displayed to the family on the day of marriage. Although some myths about virginity were frequently reported by females, less significance was attributed to virginity by females than by males. In conclusion, the traditional social structure that incites sexual double standards still prevails over the sexual attitudes and behaviors of university students in Turkey.

Increased asymmetric dimethylarginine and nitric oxide levels in patients with migraine

Abstract: Asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) has been found as correlated with endothelial dysfunction and oxidative stress. There are few studies regarding ADMA and nitric oxide (NO) levels in patients with migraine and alterations of ADMA and NO levels during migraine attack are not well-known. Therefore, in present study, we aimed to measure NO and ADMA levels in patients with migraine and compare them with the control group to investigate the correlation between migraine, oxidative stress and endothelial dysfunction. The migraine group consisted of 59 patients, including 22 suffering from migraine with aura and 37 suffering from migraine without aura. The control group consisted of 31 healthy volunteers without headache. The patients in migraine group were divided into subgroups based on whether attack period was present or not and whether it was migraine with or without aura. Plasma ADMA levels were measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method. Migraine patients had higher concentrations of NO (35.6 ± 7.7, 31.0 ± 6.2 μmol/L, respectively, p = 0.005) and ADMA (0.409 ± 0.028, 0.381 ± 0.044 μmol/L, respectively, p = 0.001) levels when compared with the healthy controls. During migraine attack, NO and ADMA levels were found to be significantly higher in migraine group as compared to control group (respectively, p = 0.015, p = 0.014). Similarly, NO and ADMA levels in the patients with migraine in the interictal period were found to be significantly higher as compared to control group (p = 0.011, p = 0.003). In conclusion, higher ADMA and NO levels of patients with migraine supported that oxidative stress and endothelial dysfunction may have a role in migraine pathogenesis.

An expert system for automated recognition of patients with obstructive sleep apnea using electrocardiogram recordings

Abstract: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a highly prevalent sleep disorder. The traditional diagnosis methods of the disorder are cumbersome and expensive. The ability to automatically identify OSA from electrocardiogram (ECG) recordings is important for clinical diagnosis and treatment. In this study, we proposed an expert system based on discrete wavelet transform (DWT), fast-Fourier transform (FFT) and least squares support vector machine (LS-SVM) for the automatic recognition of patients with OSA from nocturnal ECG recordings. Thirty ECG recordings collected from normal subjects and subjects with sleep apnea, each of approximately 8h in duration, were used throughout the study. The proposed OSA recognition system comprises three stages. In the first stage, an algorithm based on DWT was used to analyze ECG recordings for the detection of heart rate variability (HRV) and ECG-derived respiration (EDR) changes. In the second stage, an FFT based power spectral density (PSD) method was used for feature extraction from HRV and EDR changes. Then, a hill-climbing feature selection algorithm was used to identify the best features that improve classification performance. In the third stage, the obtained features were used as input patterns of the LS-SVM classifier. Using the cross-validation method, the accuracy of the developed system was found to be 100% for using a subset of selected combination of HRV and EDR features. The results confirmed that the proposed expert system has potential for recognition of patients with suspected OSA by using ECG recordings.