Istanbul University

About: Istanbul University is a education organization based out in Istanbul, Turkey. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Medicine. The organization has 19050 authors who have published 38464 publications receiving 727640 citations. The organization is also known as: İstanbul Üniversitesi & University of Istanbul.

XIPE: the x-ray imaging polarimetry explorer

Abstract: XIPE, the X-ray Imaging Polarimetry Explorer, is a mission dedicated to X-ray Astronomy. At the time of writing XIPE is in a competitive phase A as fourth medium size mission of ESA (M4). It promises to reopen the polarimetry window in high energy Astrophysics after more than 4 decades thanks to a detector that efficiently exploits the photoelectric effect and to X-ray optics with large effective area. XIPE uniqueness is time-spectrally-spatially- resolved X-ray polarimetry as a breakthrough in high energy astrophysics and fundamental physics. Indeed the payload consists of three Gas Pixel Detectors at the focus of three X-ray optics with a total effective area larger than one XMM mirror but with a low weight. The payload is compatible with the fairing of the Vega launcher. XIPE is designed as an observatory for X-ray astronomers with 75 % of the time dedicated to a Guest Observer competitive program and it is organized as a consortium across Europe with main contributions from Italy, Germany, Spain, United Kingdom, Poland, Sweden.

Tuberculosis and other opportunistic infections in tofacitinib-treated patients with rheumatoid arthritis

Abstract: Objectives To evaluate the risk of opportunistic infections (OIs) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) treated with tofacitinib. Methods Phase II, III and long-term extension clinical trial data (April 2013 data-cut) from the tofacitinib RA programme were reviewed. OIs defined a priori included mycobacterial and fungal infections, multidermatomal herpes zoster and other viral infections associated with immunosuppression. For OIs, we calculated crude incidence rates (IRs; per 100 patient-years (95% CI)); for tuberculosis (TB) specifically, we calculated rates stratified by patient enrolment region according to background TB IR (per 100 patient-years): low (≤0.01), medium (>0.01 to ≤0.05) and high (>0.05). Results We identified 60 OIs among 5671 subjects; all occurred among tofacitinib-treated patients. TB (crude IR 0.21, 95% CI of (0.14 to 0.30)) was the most common OI (n=26); median time between drug start and diagnosis was 64 weeks (range 15–161 weeks). Twenty-one cases (81%) occurred in countries with high background TB IR, and the rate varied with regional background TB IR: low 0.02 (0.003 to 0.15), medium 0.08 (0.03 to 0.21) and high 0.75 (0.49 to 1.15). In Phase III studies, 263 patients diagnosed with latent TB infection were treated with isoniazid and tofacitinib concurrently; none developed TB. For OIs other than TB, 34 events were reported (crude IR 0.25 (95% CI 0.18 to 0.36)). Conclusions Within the global tofacitinib RA development programme, TB was the most common OI reported but was rare in regions of low and medium TB incidence. Patients who screen positive for latent TB can be treated with isoniazid during tofacitinib therapy.

Exosomal lncRNA-p21 levels may help to distinguish prostate cancer from benign disease

Abstract: Exosomes are membranous vesicles containing various biomolecules including lncRNAs which are involved in cellular communication and are secreted from many cells including cancer cells. In our study, investigated the exosomal GAS5 and lincRNA-p21 lncRNA levels in urine samples from 30 patients with prostate cancer (PCa) and 49 patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia. Quantification of lncRNA molecules was performed by real-time PCR. We observed a significant difference in the exosomal lincRNA-p21 levels between PCa and BPH patients whereas the GAS5 levels did not reveal a difference. Our data suggest that the discriminative potential of exosomal lincRNA-p21 levels may help to improve the diagnostic prediction of the malignant state for patients with PCa.

Coronaviruses and SARS-COV-2

Abstract: Coronaviruses (CoVs) cause a broad spectrum of diseases in domestic and wild animals, poultry, and rodents, ranging from mild to severe enteric, respiratory, and systemic disease, and also cause the common cold or pneumonia in humans. Seven coronavirus species are known to cause human infection, 4 of which, HCoV 229E, HCoV NL63, HCoV HKU1 and HCoV OC43, typically cause cold symptoms in immunocompetent individuals. The others namely SARS-CoV (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus), MERS-CoV (Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus) were zoonotic in origin and cause severe respiratory illness and fatalities. On 31 December 2019, the existence of patients with pneumonia of an unknown aetiology was reported to WHO by the national authorities in China. This virus was officially identified by the coronavirus study group as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), and the present outbreak of a coronavirus-associated acute respiratory disease was labelled coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19). COVID-19’s first cases were seen in Turkey on March 10, 2020 and was number 47,029 cases and 1006 deaths after 1 month. Infections with SARS-CoV-2 are now widespread, and as of 10 April 2020, 1,727,602 cases have been confirmed in more than 210 countries, with 105,728 deaths.

17Beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase-3 deficiency: diagnosis, phenotypic variability, population genetics, and worldwide distribution of ancient and de novo mutations.

Abstract: b-Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase-3 (17bHSD3) deficiency is an autosomal recessive form of male pseudohermaphroditism caused by mutations in the HSD17B3 gene. In a nationwide study on male pseudohermaphroditism among all pediatric endocrinol- ogists and clinical geneticists in The Netherlands, 18 17bHSD3- deficient index cases were identified, 12 of whom initially had received the tentative diagnosis androgen insensitivity syndrome (AIS). The phenotypes and genotypes of these patients were stud- ied. Endocrine diagnostic methods were evaluated in comparison to mutation analysis of the HSD17B3 gene. RT-PCR studies were performed on testicular ribonucleic acid of patients homozygous for two different splice site mutations. The minimal incidence of 17bHSD3 deficiency in The Netherlands and the corresponding carrier frequency were calculated. Haplotype analysis of the chro- mosomal region of the HSD17B3 gene in Europeans, North Amer- icans, Latin Americans, Australians, and Arabs was used to es- tablish whether recurrent identical mutations were ancient or had repeatedly occurred de novo. In genotypically identical cases, phenotypic variation for exter- nal sexual development was observed. Gonadotropin-stimulated serum testosterone/androstenedione ratios in 17bHSD3-deficient patients were discriminative in all cases and did not overlap with ratios in normal controls or with ratios in AIS patients. In all investigated patients both HSD17B3 alleles were mutated. The intronic mutations 325 1 4;A3 T and 655-1;G3 A disrupted nor- mal splicing, but a small amount of wild-type messenger ribonu- cleic acid was still made in patients homozygous for 655-1;G3 A. The minimal incidence of 17bHSD3 deficiency in The Netherlands was shown to be 1:147,000, with a heterozygote frequency of 1:135. At least 4 mutations, 325 1 4;A3 T, N74T, 655-1;G3 A, and R80Q, found worldwide, appeared to be ancient and originating from genetic founders. Their dispersion could be reconstructed through historical analysis. The HSD17B3 gene mutations 326 -1;G3 C and P282L were de novo mutations. 17bHSD3 deficiency can be reliably diagnosed by endocrine eval- uation and mutation analysis. Phenotypic variation can occur be- tween families with the same homozygous mutations. The inci- dence of 17bHSD3 deficiency is 0.65 times the incidence of AIS, which is thought to be the most frequent known cause of male pseudohermaphroditism without dysgenic gonads. A global inven- tory of affected cases demonstrated the ancient origin of at least four mutations. The mutational history of this genetic locus offers views into human diversity and disease, provided by national and international collaboration. (J Clin Endocrinol Metab 84: 4713- 4721, 1999)