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Breeding goals of potatoes for deep-frying purposes include high starch contents, good suitability for long-term storage, and low tendency to form reducing sugars as acrylamide precursors. Due to the extensive number of samples, an accurate analysis of acrylamide in French fries and its precursors in tubers is difficult to implement in the breeding process. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the suitability of NIRS measurements after minimal sample processing for the prediction of reducing sugar contents in the tubers or acrylamide contents in French fries. An external validation with more than 650 samples consisting of 194 potato genotypes resulted in a prediction accuracy of 51 % for acrylamide and 76 % for reducing sugar content. RPD values of less than 1.5 for acrylamide and between 1.64 and 2.23 for reducing sugar prediction rendered low medium to medium model quality. Nevertheless, acrylamide prediction models based on NIRS measurement of mashed tubers categorised over 80 % of unknown samples correctly as being below or above the European threshold value, indicating suitability as rapid test procedure in the breeding process., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

This paper presents a sentiment analysis combining the lexicon-based and machine learning (ML)-based approaches in Turkish to investigate the public mood for the prediction of stock market behavior in BIST30, Borsa Istanbul. Our main motivation behind this study is to apply sentiment analysis to financial-related tweets in Turkish. We import 17189 tweets posted as "#Borsaistanbul, #Bist, #Bist30, #Bist100″ on Twitter between November 7, 2022, and November 15, 2022, via a MAXQDA 2020, a qualitative data analysis program. For the lexicon-based side, we use a multilingual sentiment offered by the Orange program to label the polarities of the 17189 samples as positive, negative, and neutral labels. Neutral labels are discarded for the machine learning experiments. For the machine learning side, we select 9076 data as positive and negative to implement the classification problem with six different supervised machine learning classifiers conducted in Python 3.6 with the sklearn library. In experiments, 80 % of the selected data is used for the training phase and the rest is used for the testing and validation phase. Results of the experiments show that the Support Vector Machine and Multilayer Perceptron classifier perform better than other classifiers with 0.89 and 0.88 accuracy and AUC values of 0.8729 and 0.8647 respectively. Other classifiers obtain approximately a 78,5 % accuracy rate. It is possible to increase sentiment analysis accuracy with parameter optimization on a larger, cleaner, and more balanced dataset by changing the pre-processing steps. This work can be expanded in the future to develop better sentiment analysis using deep learning approaches., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Background: Bacterial diseases are a huge threat to the production of tomatoes. During infection intervals, pathogens affect biochemical, oxidant and molecular properties of tomato. Therefore, it is necessary to study the antioxidant enzymes, oxidation state and genes involved during bacterial infection in tomato., Methods and Results: Different bioinformatic analyses were performed to conduct homology, gene promoter analysis and determined protein structure. Antioxidant, MDA and H 2 O 2 response was measured in Falcon, Rio grande and Sazlica tomato cultivars. In this study, RNA Polymerase II (RNAP) C-Terminal Domain Phosphatase-like 3 (SlCPL-3) gene was identified and characterized. It contained 11 exons, and encoded for two protein domains i.e., CPDCs and BRCT. SOPMA and Phyre2, online bioinformatic tools were used to predict secondary structure. For the identification of protein pockets CASTp web-based tool was used. Netphos and Pondr was used for prediction of phosphorylation sites and protein disordered regions. Promoter analysis revealed that the SlCPL-3 is involved in defense-related mechanisms. We further amplified two different regions of SlCPL-3 and sequenced them. It showed homology respective to the reference tomato genome. Our results showed that SlCPL-3 gene was triggered during bacterial stress. SlCPL-3 expression was upregulated in response to bacterial stress during different time intervals. Rio grande showed a high level of SICPL-3 gene expression after 72 hpi. Biochemical and gene expression analysis showed that under biotic stress Rio grande cultivar is more sensitive to Pst DC 3000 bacteria., Conclusion: This study lays a solid foundation for the functional characterization of SlCPL-3 gene in tomato cultivars. All these findings would be beneficial for further analysis of SlCPL-3 gene and may be helpful for the development of resilient tomato cultivars., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)

CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats)/Cas (CRISPR-associated) technology is a versatile genome editing tool that has been used to improve agriculturally important plant traits. Due to its precision, CRISPR/Cas9 is more effective than either conventional plant breeding methods or standard genetic engineering approaches for the rapid development of new varieties resilient to climate change. In addition to knowledge in tissue culture-based plant transformation, effective gene-specific single guide RNA (sgRNA) design, prediction of its off-target effect and utilization of vectors, promoters, Cas proteins and terminators is required for CRISPR/Cas9. Various bioinformatics tools are available for the best sgRNA design and screening of the off-targets. Various tools are used in the delivery of CRISPR/Cas components into cells and the genome. Moreover, some recent studies proved the simultaneous silencing of different paralogs in the same family or several genes working in the same pathway by using multiple-target sgRNA designs. This review summarizes the type of promoters, Cas proteins, recognition sequences, and terminators available for the development of knock-out and overexpression plant lines. It also provides a general guideline for the development of genome-edited plants from the design of sgRNAs to the selection of non-transgenic genome-edited T 2 generation., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)

Background and Aim: The epithelial cells are the strongest determinants of the physical intestinal barrier. Tight junctions (TJs) hold the epithelial cells together and allow for selective paracellular permeability. Larazotide acetate (LA) is a synthetic octapeptide that reduces TJ permeability by blocking zonulin receptors. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effects of LA, a TJ regulator, on the liver and intestinal histology in the model of acute liver failure (ALF) in rats., Materials and Methods: The thioacetamide (TAA) group received intraperitoneal (ip) injections of 300 mg/kg TAA for 3 days. The TAA+LA(dw) (drinking water) group received prophylactic 0.01 mg/mL LA orally for 7 days before the first dose of TAA. The LA(dw) group received 0.01 mg/mL LA orally. The TAA + LA(g) (gavage) group received prophylactic 0.01 mg/mL LA via oral gavage for 7 days before the first dose of TAA. The LA(g) group received 0.01 mg/mL LA via oral gavage. While liver tissue was evaluated only with light microscopy, intestinal samples were examined with light and electron microscopy., Results: Serum ammonia, AST, and ALT levels in the TAA group were significantly higher than in control groups (all p < 0.01). Serum ALT levels in the TAA + LA(dw) group were significantly lower than in the TAA group ( p < 0.05). However, serum ammonia and ALT levels did not differ between the TAA and other groups. Serious liver damage in the TAA group was accompanied by marked intestinal damage. There was no significant difference between the TAA and TAA + LA(dw) groups and TAA and TAA + LA(g) groups for liver damage scores. However, intestinal damage scores significantly decreased in the TAA + LA(dw) group compared to the TAA group. In the TAA + LA(dw) group, fusion occurred between the surface epithelial cells of neighboring villi and connecting regions formed as epithelial bridges between the villi., Conclusion: Our findings suggest that LA reduced intestinal damage by acting on TJs in the TAA-induced ALF model in rats.

MicroRNAs are small, non-coding RNAs that are responsible for regulation of gene expression during plant growth and development. Although there are many studies on miRNAs in other plants, little work has been done to understand the role of miRNAs in abiotic stress tolerance in potatoes. This study investigates changes in miRNA profiles of two different potato cultivars (tolerant, Unica and susceptible, Russet Burbank) in response to heat, drought and their combination. Transcriptomic studies revealed that miRNA profiles depend on the susceptibility and tolerance of the cultivar and also the stress conditions. Large number of miRNAs were expressed in Unica, whereas Russet Burbank indicated lesser number of changes in miRNA expression. Physiological and transcriptional results clearly supported that Unica cultivar is tolerant to combined drought and heat stress compared to Russet Burbank. Moreover, psRNATarget analysis predicted that major miRNAs identified were targeting genes playing important roles in response to drought and heat stress and their important roles in genetic and post-transcriptional regulation, root development, auxin responses and embryogenesis were also observed. This study focused on eight miRNAs (Novel&#95;8, Novel&#95;9, Novel&#95;105, miR156d-3p, miR160a-5p, miR162a-3p, miR172b-3p and miR398a-5p) and their putative targets where results indicate that they may play a vital role at different post-transcriptional levels against drought and heat stresses. We suggest that miRNA overexpression in plants can lead to increased tolerance against abiotic stresses; furthermore, there should be more emphasis on the studies to investigate the role of miRNAs in combined abiotic stress in plants., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Tuber crops have measurable biological variation in root and stolon phenotyping and thus may be utilized to identify genomic regions associated with these variations. This is the first comprehensive association mapping study related to potato root and stolon traits. A diverse panel of 192 tetraploid potato ( Solanum tuberosum L.) genotypes were grown in aeroponics to reveal a biologically significant variation and detection of genomic regions associated with the root and stolon traits. Phenotyping of root traits was performed by image analysis software "WinRHIZO" (a root scanning method), and stolon traits was measured manually, while SolCAP 25K potato array was used for genotyping. Significant variation was observed between the potato genotypes for root and stolon traits along with high heritabilities (0.80 in TNS to 0.95 in SL). For marker-trait associations, Q  +  K linear mixed model was implemented and 50 novel genomic regions were detected. Significantly associated SNPs with stolon traits were located on chr 4, chr 6, chr 7, chr 9, chr 11 and chr 12, while those linked to root traits on chr 1, chr 2, chr 3, chr 9, chr 11, and chr 12. Structure and PCA analysis grouped genotypes into four sub-populations disclosing population genetic diversity. LD decay was observed at 2.316 Mbps ( r 2  = 0.29) in the population. The identified SNPs were associated with genes performing vital functions such as root signaling and signal transduction in stress environments (GT-2 factors, protein kinases SAPK2-like and protein phosphatases " StPP1 "), transcriptional and post-transcriptional gene regulation (RNA-binding proteins), sucrose synthesis and transporter families (UGPase, Sus3 , SuSy , and StSUT1 ) and PVY resistance ( Ry sto ). The findings of our study can be employed in future breeding programs for improvement in potato production., Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13205-021-02727-6., Competing Interests: Conflict of interestThe authors declare that they have no conflict of interests., (© King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology 2021.)

Introduction: In the present study, we aimed to examine the effects of the administration of whey protein through rectal enema to rats with acetic acid-induced ulcerative colitis on the pathways of nuclear-related factor-2 (Nrf-2), haem oxygenase-1 (HO-1), nuclear factor κB (NF-κB), active protein kinase-1 (AP-1), tumour necrotising factor-α (TNF-α), and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), IL-6, IL-10., Material and Methods: Twenty-eight rats were employed for the trial. Ulcerative colitis was induced through the use of acetic acid. The therapeutic doses of whey protein were administered rectally. Ulcerative colitis was subjected to histopathological examination and protein levels in colon tissue were measured with the Western blot method., Results: The significant increases observed in the levels of AP-1, COX-2, IL-6, IL-10, NF-κB, and TNF-α as markers of inflammation following the development of ulcerative colitis showed remarkable decreases along with the administration of whey protein ( p < 0.05). On the other hand, we identified a decrease in the Nrf2-ARE signal pathway and HO-1 protein having protective roles in the colon inflammatory response along with the development of ulcerative colitis and activation of the Nrf2-HO-1 pathway by the whey protein., Conclusions: Whey protein modulates Nrf2/HO-1 and NF-kB pathways, thereby creating a therapeutic effect against colonic inflammation induced by acetic acid (AA) due to its anti-inflammatory effects., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright: © 2021 Termedia & Banach.)

Potato is one of the most important food crops all over the world. Breeding activities for this crop are mainly aimed to improve the quality and yield of tuber. However, genetic architecture of various traits contributing to the quality and yield of potato are not yet completely understood. Genome wide association studies provides a broader way to identify the genomic regions associated with various traits. Panels of 237 tetraploid potato genotypes from different countries were grown for two consecutive years 2016 and 2017 at experimental research area of Potato research center Niğde, Turkey. A genome wide association study using SolCAP 12K array was performed for various morpho-agronomic traits. Structure algorithm and neighborhood joining analysis clearly divided all genotypes into 4 clusters on the basis of their origin. For the marker trait association, Mixed Linear Model in TASSEL was performed and 36 genomic regions were found for the traits under study. The mean r 2 value was found to be 0.92 and mean significant LD was 47.5% in the populations. LD patterns reflected the breeding history of potato. The findings of present study provide a framework which could be useful for future potato breeding programs to enhance the production and to reduce the challenges in the coming years to feed world's population., (© Prof. H.S. Srivastava Foundation for Science and Society 2020.)

Potato production is often constrained by abiotic stresses such as drought and high temperatures which are often present in combination. In the present work, we aimed to identify key mechanisms and processes underlying single and combined abiotic stress tolerance by comparative analysis of tolerant and susceptible cultivars. Physiological data indicated that the cultivars Desiree and Unica were stress tolerant while Agria and Russett Burbank were stress susceptible. Abiotic stress caused a greater reduction of photosynthetic carbon assimilation in the susceptible cultivars which was associated with a lower leaf transpiration rate. Oxidative stress, as estimated by the accumulation of malondialdehyde was not induced by stress treatments in any of the genotypes with the exception of drought stress in Russett Burbank. Stress treatment resulted in increases in ascorbate peroxidase activity in all cultivars except Agria which increased catalase activity in response to stress. Transcript profiling highlighted a decrease in the abundance of transcripts encoding proteins associated with PSII light harvesting complex in stress tolerant cultivars. Furthermore, stress tolerant cultivars accumulated fewer transcripts encoding a type-1 metacaspase implicated in programmed cell death. Stress tolerant cultivars exhibited stronger expression of genes associated with plant growth and development, hormone metabolism and primary and secondary metabolism than stress susceptible cultivars. Metabolite profiling revealed accumulation of proline in all genotypes following drought stress that was partially suppressed in combined heat and drought. On the contrary, the sugar alcohols inositol and mannitol were strongly accumulated under heat and combined heat and drought stress while galactinol was most strongly accumulated under drought. Combined heat and drought also resulted in the accumulation of Valine, isoleucine, and lysine in all genotypes. These data indicate that single and multiple abiotic stress tolerance in potato is associated with a maintenance of CO 2 assimilation and protection of PSII by a reduction of light harvesting capacity. The data further suggests that stress tolerant cultivars suppress cell death and maintain growth and development via fine tuning of hormone signaling, and primary and secondary metabolism. This study highlights potential targets for the development of stress tolerant potato cultivars., (Copyright © 2020 Demirel, Morris, Ducreux, Yavuz, Asim, Tindas, Campbell, Morris, Verrall, Hedley, Gokce, Caliskan, Aksoy, Caliskan, Taylor and Hancock.)

Background: Studies reporting outcomes of endoscopic treatment methods in children who underwent liver transplantation (LT) is very limited. We present our outcomes, as a high-volume transplant center where endoscopic methods are preferred as the first choice in the treatment of biliary complications in children., Methods: Patients who underwent endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) as the first treatment approach for biliary complications after LT between 2005 and 2017 were included. Clinical data included patient demographics, ERCP indications (stricture or leak), and treatment outcomes, including the need for percutaneous and surgical intervention., Results: ERCP was performed in 49 patients who had a duct-to-duct anastomosis (38 living donor liver transplantation (LDLT), 11 deceased donor liver transplantation (DDLT)). The most common biliary complication was stricture. Our endoscopic success rate was 66.7% (18/27) and 75% (6/8) in LDLT and DDLT patients with stricture (p > 0.05), respectively. While our endoscopic success rate was 75% (3/4) in patients with leak alone after LDLT, it was 25% (1/4) in patients with leak and stricture in this group. The endoscopic success rate was 50% in two patients who had leak alone after DDLT., Conclusions: ERCP should be considered as a preferential treatment option for the management of biliary complications in pediatric liver transplant patients with duct-to-duct anastomosis, as in adults.

Background and Aim: Intestinal barrier dysfunction has been implicated in the development of infectious complications of acute pancreatitis. Nucleotide-Binding Oligomerization DomainContaining Protein 2 (NOD2) plays an important role in the proper functioning of intestinal defense mechanisms. Here, we investigated the frequency of NOD2 variants in patients with mild and severe acute pancreatitis., Materials and Methods: Groups 1, 2 and 3 comprised healthy participants and patients with mild and severe pancreatitis, respectively. Four NOD2 variants and serum interleukin-6 (IL-6), Tumor Necrosis Factor-a (TNF-a) and lipopolysaccharide-binding protein (LBP) levels were analyzed., Results: Three patients (3/32, 9.4%) in the severe pancreatitis group were positive for the p.R702W variant. This variant was negative in other groups. One, three and three patients in the healthy (1/27, 3.7%), mild (3/36, 8.3%) and severe pancreatitis (3/32, 9.4%) groups tested positive for the 1007fs variant, respectively. No significant differences in the frequencies of NOD2 variants were evident among the groups. Serum IL-6, TNF-a and LBP levels were markedly higher in the severe pancreatitis than the healthy and mild pancreatitis groups (all p<0.001). We observed no significant correlation between cytokine levels and NOD2 variants., Conclusion: Our results support an association between the presence of the p.R702W variant and severe pancreatitis., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest, (© Acta Gastro-Enterologica Belgica.)

Data evaluating the presence and characteristics of mesenteric lymph nodes (LNs) in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) are scarce. The aim of this study is to determine the presence and characteristics of LNs in UC. The LN characteristics in computed tomography (CT), including LN dimension and attenuation, were evaluated retrospectively in 100 patients with UC (61 active and 39 inactive cases). Clinical characteristics and laboratory parameters, including CBC, biochemical analysis, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and C reactive protein (CRP) were also compared. Mesenteric LNs were evident in all patients with UC. The attenuation and dimension of mesenteric LNs did not differ between active and inactive patients with UC. No correlation was found among patients with UC in terms of LN dimension, attenuation, ESR, CRP, leucocyte, and albumin (all with p > 0.05). The current study suggested that inflammation results in the development of mesenteric LN in UC, similar to Crohn&rsquo;s disease and other inflammatory disorders.

Objective: This prospective study aimed to determine the prevalence of anti-HDV seropositivity among subjects who had previous hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection., Methods: Subjects who were admitted to the gastroenterology inpatient clinic of our hospital between August 2016 and July 2017 were screened for previous HBV infection. The subjects who had HBV serology compatible with resolved HBV infection were recruited in the study, and the seroprevalance of anti-HDV was studied. Participants answered a short questionnaire regarding their family history of chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and chronic hepatitis D (CHD) infection and risk factors for transmission. Subjects who were anti-HDV positive were recalled for a control visit, and HBV-DNA and HDV-RNA were assayed in the blood samples of the responders., Results: Among 554 subjects who had previous HBV infection, 53 (9.6%) were anti-HDV positive. The mean age was 63.1±15.4 years in the anti-HDV-positive group and 65.9±15.6 years in the anti-HDV-negative group (p=0.19). The most common risk factor for both groups was dental procedures (89% vs 80%, p=0.33). Anti-Hbc IgG, anti-Hbs, and anti-HBeAg seropositivity did not differ between the anti-HDV-positive and -negative groups (for all, p>0.05). Although HDV-RNA was not detectable in all studied samples, only one subject had detectable HBV-DNA in the anti-HDV-positive group., Conclusion: This study highlighted the prevalence of anti-HDV among subjects who had resolved HBV infection. Long-term follow-up studies, including after the resolution of both infections, are needed to explore HBV-HDV interactions and the behavioral patterns of these viruses., Competing Interests: Conflict of Interest: On behalf of all authors, the corresponding author states that there is no conflict of interest.

Insect pests are among the major constraints rendering drastic decreases in crop yield. The expression of stacked insecticidal genes in crops can lead to resistance durability and can delay the development of resistance in target insect pests. The present study was designed to introduce an insect resistance trait in locally cultivated Turkish tobacco cultivars (Basma and Nail) with pyramided insecticidal genes. Agrobacterium strain LBA4404 harboring plasmid pKGH4 with cry1Ac and cry2A genes under the control of 35S promoter was used to infect leaf discs of both cultivars; plasmid also contained uidA within the T-DNA region for earlier screening of putative transformants. The overall transformation efficiency was calculated as 30.7% and 18.8% in Basma and Nail, respectively. PCR results confirmed the integration of cry1Ac, cry2A, uidA, and nptII genes in 40 plants of Basma and 16 plants of Nail. ELISA results showed variation in expression of cry1Ac protein among transgenic plants varying from 0.017 to 0.607 µg/g of fresh tissue. Bioassay results with potato tuber moth (Phthorimea operculella Zeller) showed significant mortality of the targeted pest on primary transformants. Furthermore, T1 transgenic progeny exhibited the inheritance of T-DNA in Mendelian as well as non-Mendelian fashion. The results revealed that lines can serve as a source of germplasm in tobacco breeding programs.

Background and Aim: Biliary complications are an important cause of mortality and morbidity after living donor liver transplantation (LDLT). We present our endoscopic treatment results after LDLT as a single center with high volume., Methods: Patients who underwent endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) after LDLT between 2005 and 2015 were included. Clinical data included patient demographics, ERCP indications (stricture or leak), and treatment outcomes, including need for percutaneous and surgical interventions., Results: ERCP was performed in 446 (39.2%) patients with duct-to-duct anastomosis of 1136 LDLT patients. The most common biliary complication was stricture ± stone (70.6%, 315/446). Stricture and leak occurred in 60 (13.4%) patients. Only biliary leak was found in 40 (8.9%) patients. Our endoscopic treatment success rate in patients with biliary stricture after LDLT was 65.1%. Overall endoscopic success rates in our patients were 55.0% in patients with both leak and stricture, and only leak. In all, our percutaneous transhepatic biliary interventions (PTBI) and ERCP success rate was 90.6% in patients with biliary complications after LDLT., Conclusions: Endoscopic treatments are highly effective for biliary complications after LDLT. Effective use of percutaneous interventions in collaboration with endoscopic treatments significantly reduces the need for surgical treatment., (© Acta Gastro-Enterologica Belgica.)

Objective To compare clinical and laboratory features of elderly patients with and without diverticulosis and assess factors related to hepatosteatosis. Method This retrospective case-control study analysed the clinical and laboratory data, colonoscopy and abdominal ultrasonography records of patients >65 years who underwent colonoscopies. Subjects were categorized according to the presence and absence of colonic diverticulosis. Univariate/multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to evaluate the independent predictive factors of hepatosteatosis. Results A total of 355 patients were enrolled in the study: 169 had colonic diverticulosis; and 186 without colonic diverticulosis formed the control group. Age, sex and chronic disorders associated with the metabolic syndrome did not differ between the diverticulosis and control groups. The rate of hepatosteatosis was lower in patients with diverticulosis compared with the control group (27% versus 42%, respectively). Diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidaemia and hepatosteatosis were more common among patients aged <75 years. In the multivariate logistic regression analysis, diverticulosis remained an independent predictor of hepatosteatosis (odds ratio 0.529; 95% confidence interval 0.323, 0.866). Other independent predictive factors in the multivariate analysis were triglyceride and albumin. Conclusion Diverticulosis in the elderly was found to be a negative predictor of hepatosteatosis. Higher values of albumin and triglyceride in conjunction with the absence of diverticulosis may be suggestive of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in the elderly.

Background/aims: Steroids have been shown to prevent intestinal oxidative stress. We investigated the effects of methylprednisolone on intestinal oxidative damage and bacterial translocation in thioacetamide-induced liver failure in rats., Materials and Methods: Group 1 (n=8) was the control group. In group 2 (n=8), the thioacetamide group, rats received 300 mg/kg intraperitoneal thioacetamide daily for 2 days. In group 3 (n=8), the thioacetamide+methylprednisolone group, treatment with methylprednisolone (30 mg/kg intraperitoneal) was commenced 48 h before the first dose of thioacetamide. In group 4 (n=8), the methylprednisolone group, the rats received only methylprednisolone (30 mg/kg intraperitoneal)., Results: Serious hepatic and intestinal oxidative damage and high bacterial translocation frequencies were observed in the thioacetamide group compared with those of the controls. Bacterial translocation frequency in the thioacetamide+methylprednisolone group was significantly lower than that in the thioacetamide group (p<0.05). Intestinal thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances and myeloperoxidase levels and tissue damage scores for the intestines in the thioacetamide+methylprednisolone group were lower than those in the thioacetamide group (p<0.01, p<0.01, and p<0.0001, respectively)., Conclusion: Our findings suggest that methylprednisolone reduces bacterial translocation by preventing intestinal oxidative damage in this model of acute liver failure in rats.

Introduction: Pegylated-interferon alpha (Peg-IFN α) is the therapy most commonly used to treat chronic hepatitis delta virus (HDV) infection. In the present study, we planned to investigate effect of IL28B polymorphism on response to Peg-IFN α therapy and disease progression in patients with chronic HDV., Methodology: A total of 47 patients who received Peg-IFNα therapy for at least one year were investigated. The patients were divided into three groups based on their response to treatment: sustained viral response (SVR) (32%), unresponsive (53%), and relapse (15%). The groups were compared in terms of age, gender, blood biochemistry (albumin, total bilirubin, lactic acid dehydrogenase, ALT, AST, ALP, GGT), complete blood count, HBeAg, HBsAg, HBV-DNA, HDV-RNA, IL28B genotypes (CC, CT, TT), and results of liver biopsy., Results: Regarding the investigation of IL28B genotype, the prevalence of CC, CT, and TT showed no difference among the three groups. In the SVR group, the prevalence of CC was 53%, CT was 47%, but there was no patient with TT. In the unresponsive group, prevalence of CC was 52%, CT was 32%, and TT was 16%. In the relapse group, prevalence of CC was 43%, CT was 57%, but there was no patient with TT genotype. No significant difference was found among the groups with sustained response, no response, and relapse in terms of CC and CT polymorphisms (p>0.05)., Conclusions: No relationship was found between IL28B rs12979860 polymorphism and response to treatment and disease severity in patients with chronic HDV infection.

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of mesenteric panniculitis (MP) and to describe its clinical characteristics, therapy, and outcome., Subjects and Methods: This retrospective study was carried out among patients with MP based on computed tomography (CT) scans from January 2012 to December 2015. The CT images were reanalyzed by study radiologists to confirm the previous MP diagnosis. Patients were divided into 2 groups, i.e., idiopathic and secondary, based on the presence or absence of associated predisposing factors such as trauma, malignancy, autoimmune disorders, ischemia, or previous abdominal surgery. The clinical characteristics of the 2 groups, as well as treatments, were assessed., Results: Among the 19,869 CT scans, 36 patients (0.18%) with MP were identified (i.e., 19 [53%] females and 17 [47%] males). The median age was 54 years (range 26 - 76). Twenty-four patients (67%) were categorized into the idiopathic group. Malignancy was the predisposing factor in 8 (22%) of those patients. Furthermore, abdominal pain was the cardinal symptom observed in 22 patients (92%) in the idiopathic group. In the idiopathic group, 15 patients (63%) were treated with antibiotics and 16 (67%) were treated with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID). One unresponsive patient was treated with colchicine. Symptomatic relief was achieved in all of the treated patients., Conclusion: In this study, a symptomatic idiopathic subgroup of patients with MP did not have any associated disorder. The response to treatment with antibiotics and NSAID was effective in most of the patients. Based on these findings, anti-inflammatory treatments beyond NSAID and surgery should be reserved for patients who are unresponsive to antibiotics and NSAID., (© 2017 The Author(s) Published by S. Karger AG, Basel.)

Introduction: In this study, we aimed to investigate the histological and clinical effect of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) and ACE gene polymorphism in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and their roles in the progression of the disease., Materials and Methods: Liver function tests, body mass index, waist circumference, lipid parameters, fasting blood glucose (FBG), hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), homeostasis model assessment-IR (HOMA-IR), ACE, and ACE gene polymorphism were evaluated in the NAFLD group and control group. The study group was evaluated by dividing the group into four subgroups by ACE gene polymorphism (D/D homozygous, I/I homozygous, D/I heterozygous, I/D heterozygous). Liver biopsies were evaluated according to Brunt Classification., Results: A total of 31 patients who were diagnosed with NAFLD and 40 healthy individuals were included in the study. The ACE level was found to be 11.69 ± 1.99 in the NAFLD group and 11.52 ± 1.72 in the control group (p = 0.70). There was a negative correlation between ACE levels and HOMA-IR levels (p = 0.008, r= -0.512). Biochemical parameters were not different among ACE gene polimorphism subgroups, except FBG (between D/D, I/D and D/I, I/D; p = 0.02). When the ACE levels were compared in terms of grade and stage, no significant difference was found (for stage and grade p = 0.68). The ACE gene polymorphism subgroups did not differ by histopathologic findings; grade and stage (for grade p = 0.42, for stage p = 0.92)., Conclusion: In this study, we could not find a correlation of ACE and ACE gene polymorphism with metabolic risk factors and the disease severity in NAFLD., How to Cite This Article: Tekatas DD, Bahcecioglu IH, Ispiroglu M, Sahin A, Ilhan N, Yalniz M, Demirel U. Role of Renin-Angiotensin-converting Enzyme Level and ACE Gene Polymorphism in Patients with Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease. Euroasian J Hepato-Gastroenterol 2016;6(2):137-142., Competing Interests: Source of support: Nil Conflict of interest: None

Background: The occurrence of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) is significantly increased in carriers of nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-containing protein 2 (NOD2) variants, suggesting that local immune alterations might be implicated in bacterial translocation (BT)., Aims: We aimed to assess the role of the NOD2 gene in conferring susceptibility to SBP. We also sought to determine whether levels of serum interleukin-6 (IL-6), lipopolysaccharide-binding protein, and soluble TNF-α receptor, along with the presence of bacterial DNA (bactDNA) in ascitic fluid, are appropriate markers for BT in patients with liver cirrhosis and SBP., Methods: A cohort of 171 patients was divided into two groups: patients with SBP (n = 82) and those without SBP (n = 89). The presence of the most common NOD2 variants (p.R702W, p.G908R, and c.3020insC) was determined in these patients., Results: We detected the p.G908R variant in four patients (4.9 %) of the SBP group. No significant difference was observed between the SBP and non-SBP groups for NOD2 risk variants. The frequency of bactDNA in ascitic fluid was higher for patients with NOD2 variants than for patients without variants (p = 0.021). Serum IL-6 levels in the SBP group were higher than those in the non-SBP group., Conclusions: The frequent detection of bactDNA in ascites of patients with the p.G908R variant suggests there is a strong association between NOD2 risk variants and BT in SBP patients. In addition, increased serum IL-6 levels and bactDNA in ascitic fluid could be considered surrogate markers for BT in patients with cirrhosis.

Background: The only established therapy for chronic viral delta hepatitis, the most severe form of viral hepatitis is treatment with pegylated-interferon α (Peg IFN α)., Objectives: In this study, we aimed to determine the efficacy of pegylated-interferon α 2a (Peg-IFN α 2a) and 2b (Peg IFN α 2b) in the treatment of patients infected with chronic delta hepatitis virus., Patients and Methods: The sample size was based on available patients potentially to be recruited. Data of 63 patients receiving either Peg IFN alpha 2a or Peg IFN alpha 2b were retrospectively assessed in the present cohort study performed in Turkey. Of 56 patients completed the study, 41 received Peg IFN α 2a and 15 received Peg IFN α 2b for 12 months. Patients were evaluated for biochemical and virological responses at the end of given treatment and six months after the treatment., Results: Stage of fibrosis was found high in both groups (85.4% vs. 86.7%), while cirrhosis was higher in the group of Peg IFN α 2b (53.3% vs. 34.1%). At the end of treatment, either hepatitis delta virus RNA (HDV RNA) alone or both HDV RNA and hepatitis b virus DNA (HBV DNA) had negative results in 32% of patients. Although HDV RNA negativity was sustained in 30.3% of patients, negativity of both HDV RNA and HBV DNA was decreased to 19.6% six months after completion of the treatment. HBV DNA became positive in one third of patients with response at six months after completion of the treatment (10.7% of all patients). HDV RNA negativity at month six was found as a predictor of positive response. No significant difference was found between Peg IFN α 2a and Peg IFN α 2b for virological response rate., Conclusions: Treatment with Peg IFN α achieved a sustained negativity of HDV RNA in about one third of patients. Duration of Peg IFN α therapy might be prolonged to at least 24 months or more to prevent the occurrence of Hepatitis B virus (HBV) relapse encountered six months after completion of the treatment.

Aim/background: Pistacia terebinthus is used as a coffee substitute in the East and Southern Anatolia regions of Turkey. It contains unsaturated fatty acids, tocopherols, polyphenols and carotenoids. P. terebinthus has anti-inflammatory and potential antioxidant activity. In this study we evaluated the protective effects of P. terebinthus coffee (PTC) on thioacetamide (TAA)-induced liver injury in rats., Materials and Methods: Twenty-eight male Sprague-Dawley rats were equally randomized into four groups. Chronic liver injury was induced with TAA (100 mg/kg i.p. three times weekly). The first group of rats served as control and received only tap water (G1), and the remaining groups of rats received PTC, p.o (G2); TAA (G3); TAA plus PTC, p.o (G4), respectively., Results: After 8 weeks, PTC intake significantly reduced fibrosis/inflammation scores (p PTC intake reduced transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) concentrations in the liver (p PTC intake., Discussion and Conclusion: PTC intake provided beneficial effects against TAA-induced liver injury in rats. PTC probably suppresses the proinflammatory cytokines through NF-κB signaling pathway.

Background: Vancomycin a frequently used antimicrobial for the treatment of late-onset neonatal sepsis. It can be infused either intermittently or continuously, however, there is no consensus on the optimal dosing regimen., Aim: To evaluate microbiological outcomes, clinical response and adverse events of vancomycin when administered via continuos intravenous infusion., Methods: The files of preterm infants (<34 weeks), who received either intermittent (group I, n = 41) or continuous (group II, n = 36) vancomycin infusion for the treatment of late-onset sepsis, were investigated retrospectively. Clinical and demographic features were recorded., Results: Clinical improvement rates, Töllner scores and microbiological outcomes did not differ significantly between groups. At 48th hour of vancomycin infusion, 52.8% of infants achieved therapeutic concentrations of vancomycin in group II compared with 34.1% of patients in group I (p = 0.002). Thirty-nine percent of infants in group I had supratherapeutic concentrations of vancomycin at 48th hour compared with 5.6% in group II (p = 0.002). Dose adjustment rate in group I did not differ than group II (65.9% vs. 52.8% respectively, p = 0.3). However, when we subdivide group I into two according to dosing intervals, dose adjustment rates were more common in infants with a gestational age <29 weeks for whom intermittent infusion was performed in 18 hours intervals (92.9% vs 51.9% , p = 0.014)., Conclusion: In preterm infants, continuous and intermittent infusions of vancomycin have similar clinical efficacies. Continuous infusion is well-tolerated and require less blood sampling compared to intermittent infusion especially in infants less than 29 weeks of gestational age.

The aims of our work were to determine the presence of the cag pathogenicity-island (cag PAI) and other virulence genes of Helicobacter pylori recovered from patients with gastritis and peptic ulcer, and to investigate the correlation of these virulence genes with clinical outcome. The presence of the cagA, the promoter regions of cagA, cagE, cagT, and the left end of cag-PAI (LEC), cag right junction (cagRJ), the plasticity region open reading frames (ORFs), vacA and oipA genes among 69 H. pylori isolates were determined by polymerase chain reaction. Intact cag PAI was detected in only one (1.4%) isolate. The cagA gene was identified in 52.1% and 76.2% of isolates from patients with dyspepsia (gastritis and peptic ulcer), respectively. The plasticity region ORFs i.e. JHP912 and JHP931 were predominantly detected in isolates from peptic ulcer. Less than 25% of the isolates carried other ORFs. Types I, II and III were the most commonly found among the isolates. None of the isolates possessed type Ib, 1c, IIIb, IV and V motifs. The most commonly vacA genotypes were s1am1a and s1m2 in isolates with peptic ulcer and gastritis, respectively. The results confirmed that the prevalence of oipA (Hp0638) gene was 75% and 85.7% in patients with gastritis and peptic ulcer, respectively. Furthermore, vacA s1am1a positivity was significantly related to peptic ulcer (p < 0.05).

Objective: To investigate the relationship between Metabolic Bone Disease (MBD) and Transient Hypothyroxinemia of Prematurity (THOP)., Method: One hundred twenty-four infants, born in Marmara University Hospital with a gestational age ≤34 weeks, were enrolled. Clinical features were recorded. Serum TSH, free T4, total T4, calcium, phosphorus and total Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP) levels were determined in the first and third postnatal weeks. MBD was defined as a phosphorus level <4.5 mg/dl and/or ALP >900 IU/l. THOP was defined as a serum free and/or total thyroxine level lower than -1 SD for gestational age at the 7th postnatal day., Result: THOP was diagnosed in nineteen (15.3%) patients. MBD was diagnosed in 52 (41.9%) at the 3rd month. Low birth weight, low gestational age and prolonged parenteral nutrition were associated with MBD. Multivariate analysis documented a significant relationship solely between MBD and gestational age., Conclusion: The risk of MBD does not increase significantly in babies with THOP.

Iron deficiency anemia is a common problem in newborn infants. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends iron prophylaxis at 4 months of age for term infants. There is no specific recommendation for iron prophylaxis in late-preterm infants. We aimed to establish the optimum time for iron prophylaxis in late-preterm infants. Thirty-eight late-preterm (Group 1) and 38 term (Group 2) infants born on the same day were enrolled in the study. Hemoglobin, ferritin and reticulocyte values at birth, 2nd month and 4th month were assessed. The cord ferritin, hemoglobin and reticulocyte levels did not differ significantly between groups. However, at the 2nd month, median ferritin and hemoglobin values were lower in late-preterm infants than term infants (145 mg/dl vs. 195 mg/dl, p=0.001 and 10.1 g/dl vs. 11.6 g/dl, p<0.001, respectively). Median ferritin levels were lower at the 4th month in latepreterm infants than term infants, but this difference was not significant after exclusion of three late- preterm infants who required iron therapy (49 mg/dl vs. 62 mg/dl, p=0.2). There was a tendency of higher frequency of anemia in late-preterm infants at 4 months (42.8% vs. 21.1%), but this was statistically insignificant (p=0.07). At the 2nd month of age, the median ferritin and hemoglobin levels of late-preterm infants were lower than those of term infants. Further studies with larger sample sizes are required to determine the need for earlier supplementation of iron in late-preterm infants.

Aim. To investigate obstetric features of pregnant women with thyroid disorders and thyroid function tests of their newborn infants. Methods. Women with hypothyroidism and having anti-thyroglobulin (ATG) and anti-thyroid peroxidase (anti-TPO) antibodies were assigned as group I, women with hypothyroidism who did not have autoantibodies were assigned as group II, and women without thyroid problems were assigned as group III. Results. Pregnant women with autoimmune hypothyroidism (group I) had more preterm delivery and their babies needed more frequent neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admission. In group I, one infant was diagnosed with compensated hypothyroidism and one infant had transient hyperthyrotropinemia. Five infants (23.8%) in group II had thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels >20 mIU/mL. Only two of them had TSH level >7 mIU/L at the 3rd postnatal week, and all had normal free T4 (FT4). Median maternal TSH level of these five infants with TSH >20 mIU/mL was 6.6 mIU/mL. In group III, six infants (6.5%) had TSH levels above >20 mIU/mL at the 1st postnatal week. Conclusion. Infants of mothers with thyroid problems are more likely to have elevated TSH and higher recall rate on neonatal thyroid screening. Women with thyroid disorders and their newborn infants should be followed closely for both obstetrical problems and for thyroid dysfunction.

Oxidative stress plays important role in the development of acute liver failure. In this study, we investigated effects of allopurinol (AP) upon thioacetamide (TAA)-induced liver injury and the potential mechanisms leading to amelioration in inflammation with AP treatment. Acute liver failure was induced by intraperitoneal administration of TAA (300 mg/kg/day for 2 days). Thirty-five rats were divided into five groups as control (group 1), TAA (group 2), TAA + 25AP (group 3), TAA + 50 AP (group 4), and TAA + 100AP (group 5). The number of animals in each group was seven. At the end of the study, histopathological, biochemical, and western blot analysis were done. TAA treatment significantly increased serum levels of aminotransferases, liver malondialdehyde (MDA), nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-қB ), activator protein-1 (AP-1), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels, and the necro-inflammation scores. Nevertheless, nuclear factor E2-related factor-2 and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) expressions in the liver were decreased by TAA. AP treatment significantly lowered the serum levels of aminotransferases (P < 0.01) and liver MDA, NF-κB, AP-1, TNF-α, COX-2, and IL-6 expressions (P < 0.05). Moreover, AP restored the liver Nrf2 and HO-1 expressions and improved the necro-inflammation scores significantly. AP improves oxidative stress-induced liver damage by regulating cellular redox-sensitive transcriptor factors and expression of pro-inflammatory and antioxidant defense mechanisms. AP probably exerts these beneficiary features by its free radical scavenging ability in a dose-dependent manner.

Intestinal bacterial overgrowth (IBO) and increased mucosal permeability are suggested to increase bacterial translocation (BT) in liver injury. Rifaximin (RIF) is a minimally absorbed oral antimicrobial agent that restores gut microflora imbalance. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of RIF on BT frequency in thioacetamide (TAA)-induced liver injury. Group 1 was the control. In group 2 (TAA), rats received TAA daily for 3 days. In group 3 (TAA + RIF), RIF was commenced on the same day as the first dose of TAA. In group 4 (RIF), rats received only RIF. Ileal aspirate Escherichia coli counts were significantly lower in the TAA + RIF group than in TAA group. There was no difference in BT frequency between the TAA and TAA + RIF groups. Our results suggest that factors such as intestinal barrier dysfunction and impaired host immune shield, apart from IBO, play an important role in BT in this model.

Potato steroidal glycoalkaloids (SGAs) are toxic secondary metabolites whose total content in tubers must be regulated. SGAs are biosynthesized by the sterol branch of the mevalonic acid/isoprenoid pathway. In a previous study, we showed a correlation between SGA levels and the abundance of transcript coding for HMG-CoA reductase 1 (HMG1) and squalene synthase 1 (SQS1) in potato tissues and potato genotypes varying in SGA content. Here, Solanum tuberosum cv. Desirée (low SGA producer) was transformed with a gene construct containing the coding region of either HMG1 or SQS1 of Solanum chacoense Bitt. clone 8380-1, a high SGA producer. SGA levels in transgenic HMG-plants were either greater than (in eight of 14 plants) or no different from untransformed controls, whereas only four of 12 SQS-transgenics had greater SGA levels than control, as determined by HPLC. Quantitative real-time PCR was used to estimate relative steady-state transcript levels of isoprenoid-, steroid-, and SGA-related genes in leaves of the transgenic plants compared to nontransgenic controls. HMG-transgenic plants exhibited increased transcript accumulation of SQS1, sterol C24-methyltransferase type1 (SMT1), and solanidine glycosyltransferase 2 (SGT2), whereas SQS-transgenic plants, had consistently lower transcript levels of HMG1 and variable SMT1 and SGT2 transcript abundance among different transgenics. HMG-transgenic plants exhibited changes in transcript accumulation for some sterol biosynthetic genes as well. Taken together, the data suggest coordinated regulation of isoprenoid metabolism and SGA secondary metabolism.

Effects of nadroparin sodium, a low molecular weight heparin, in colitis was investigated by analyzing proteins implicated in nuclear factor E2-related factor-2/heme oxygenase-1 (Nrf2/HO-1) and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) pathways. Twenty-eight rats were used. Colitis was induced by acetic acid (AA). Nadroparin sodium was given to prevention and treatment groups in addition to AA. Colitis was assessed histologically and levels of proteins were analyzed with Western blot. Nadroparin not only prevented and ameliorated the AA-induced colitis histopathologically but also decreased expression of colon NF-κB, activator protein-1, cyclooxygenase-2, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and IL-6, which were significantly increased in group AA compared to control. The accumulation of Nrf2 in nuclear fraction and HO-1 found low in group AA was increased with nadroparin (p < 0.05). The mean malondialdehyde level increased with AA and was decreased significantly with nadroparin prevention and treatment (p < 0.001). Nadroparin sodium has both protective and therapeutic effects against colonic inflammation via exerting anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory effects by modulating Nrf2/HO-1 and NF-κB pathways.

Background and Study Aims: Oxidative stress plays an important role in development of intestinal injury after abdomino-pelvic radiation therapy. Teucrium polium (TP) is a medicinal plant which has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of TP on radiation-induced intestinal oxidative damage in rats., Materials and Methods: Group 1 (n = 8), the control group; Group 2 (n = 8), the RAD (radiation) group in which each rat received a single whole-body 800 cGy radiation performed with a LINAC ; Group 3 (n = 8), the RAD + TP group in which rats were exposed to radiation as in Group 2, followed by intragastric administration of 0.5 g/kg/daily TP extract for 7 consecutive days; and Group 4 (n = 8), the TP group, rats received only intragastric TP for 7 days., Results: Radiation led to intestinal damage, which was accompanied by an increase in intestinal thiobarbituric-acid-reactive substances (TBARS) and myeloperoxidase (MPO) levels, and a decrease in reduced glutathione (GSH) levels. Although TP significantly decreased intestinal MPO levels and inflammation scores, it neither reverted intestinal TBARS and GSH levels nor ameliorated other histological parameters of the disease., Conclusions: Our results suggest that TP reduces inflammation but does not ameliorate the increased oxidative stress conditions in radiation-induced intestinal damage in rats.

Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α antibodies have been shown to reduce liver damage in different models. We investigated the effects of infliximab (a TNF-α antibody) on liver damage in thioacetamide (TAA)-induced hepatotoxicity in rats. Group 1 (n = 8) was the control group. In group 2 (n = 8), the TAA group, the rats received 300 mg/kg intraperitoneal (ip) TAA daily for 2 days. In group 3 (n = 8), the TAA + Infliximab (INF) group, infliximab (5 mg/kg ip daily) was administered 48 hours before the first dose of TAA daily for 2 days and was maintained for 4 consecutive days. In group 4 (n = 8), the INF group, the rats received only ip infliximab (5 mg/kg) daily. Livers were excised for histopathological and biochemical tests (thiobarbituric-acid-reactive substances [TBARS], and myeloperoxidase [MPO]). Serum ammonia, aspartate transaminase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT), TNF-α, liver TBARS and MPO levels, and liver necrosis and inflammation scores in the TAA group were significantly higher than in the control and INF groups (all p < 0.01). All parameters except AST were not significantly different between TAA and TAA + INF. In conclusion, our results suggest that oxidative stress plays an important role in TAA-induced hepatotoxicity, and infliximab does not improve oxidative liver damage.

Purpose: Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a serious problem which potentially can lead to blindness. The objective of this study is to detect the incidence of ROP and the number of preterm babies requiring treatment for ROP in our center and to establish the screening criteria for our country., Methods: A total of 801 babies with a gestational age less than 37 weeks were screened for ROP. Babies with a gestational age (GA) less than 32 weeks (n=348) were assigned as group 1. Babies with a GA between 32 and 34 weeks (n=335) were assigned as group 2 and between 35 and 37 weeks (n=98) were assigned as group 3. Clinical features and ROP screening results of the cases were documented., Results: In group 1, ROP was detected in 176 (50.9%) babies, 41 (11.8%) of whom were treated with laser/cryotherapy. In group 2, 83 (25%) cases of ROP were detected, and 11 of them (3.1%) required therapy. In group 3, 9 (9.1%) infants were diagnosed with ROP, and none of them required treatment. Clinical factors associated with ROP in group 1 were gestational age, birthweight, duration of ventilation, duration of oxygen supplementation, sepsis, and bronchopulmonary dysplasia., Conclusions: In developing countries, the criteria for ROP screening programs should be designed according to local conditions. In our country, screening all premature babies with a gestational age less than 34 weeks or a birthweight less than 1850 g appears to be appropriate.

Background and Study Aims: Abnormal expression of claudin-4 and beta-catenin play a role in carcinogenesis. The purpose of the present study was to examine claudin-4 and beta-catenin expression in normal and precancerous gastric mucosa., Patients and Methods: Endoscopic biopsy specimens [normal gastric mucosa (n = 22), intestinal metaplasia (n = 24), dysplasia (n = 18), Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori)-associated chronic gastritis (n = 32) and remnant gastric mucosa (n = 18)] obtained from different 114 patients were examined by immunohistochemistry., Results: Claudin-4 expression was present in 94.4% of dysplasia, 87.5% of intestinal metaplasia, 62.5% H. pylori-associated chronic gastritis, and 88.9% remnant gastric mucosa but only 18.2% of normal gastric mucosa biopsies. Decreased expression of beta-catenin was present in 27.8% of dysplasia, 8.3% of intestinal metaplasia, 15.6% of H. pylori-associated chronic gastritis, and 22.2% of remnant gastric mucosa biopsies, but was not present in normal gastric mucosa. When compared with normal gastric mucosa, there was a significant difference in claudin-4 expression in all groups (P < 0.05), but a significant difference was detected in dysplasia and remnant gastric mucosa for beta-catenin (P < 0.05)., Conclusions: Our results suggest that claudin-4 expression is upregulated in premalignant gastric alterations.

Nitroimidazole derivatives are commonly used in the treatment of protozoal and anaerobic infections, and reports of their hepatotoxicity are rare. We report a case of severe hepatitis due to the long-term (8 weeks) use of ornidazole. A 27-year-old woman presented for evaluation of elevated serum transaminase and total bilirubin levels. Liver biopsy revealed portal inflammation, hepatocellular and canalicular cholestasis, porto-portal and portocentral bridging fibrosis, and a tendency to form nodules. No aetiological factors associated with chronic liver disease were identified. The abdominal ultrasonographic findings were compatible with chronic liver disease. We therefore made the diagnosis of severe hepatitis resulting from the long-term use of ornidazole. We conclude that nitroimidazole derivatives may lead to serious liver damage, especially in female patients.

Background/aims: Acute pancreatitis is a serious complication of organophosphate poisoning. There is no report in the literature dealing with the development of a pancreatic pseudocyst after complication of organophosphate-induced acute pancreatitis. Therefore, we present a case who developed pancreatic pseudocyst after complication of organophosphate-induced acute pancreatitis., Methods: A 17-year-old female patient with a history of ingestion of complication of organophosphate insecticide (DDVP EC 550, dichlorvos) was admitted with cholinergic symptoms. On admission, serum amylase and lipase levels were high and abdominal ultrasonography showed an edematous pancreas. No etiological factor for acute pancreatitis was evident., Results: We diagnosed complication of organophosphate-induced acute pancreatitis. After four weeks, abdominal abdominal ultrasonography and computerized tomography revealed a pancreatic pseudocyst of 6 cm diameter. During follow-up, the pancreatic pseudocyst size regressed to 4 cm., Conclusion: Complication of organophosphate poisoning can cause acute pancreatitis and its complications. Early diagnosis and appropriate treatment may reduce morbidity and mortality.

Gingko biloba (GB) has antioxidant and platelet-activating factor (PAF) antagonistic effects. We investigated the protective effects of GB on thioacetamide (TAA)-induced fulminant hepatic failure in rats. Fulminant hepatic failure was induced in treatment groups by three intraperitoneal (ip) injections of TAA (350 mg/kg) at 24-hour intervals. Treatments with GB (100 mg/kg per day, orally) and N-acetylcysteine (20 mg/kg twice daily, sc) were initiated 48 hours prior to TAA administration. The liver was removed for histopathological examinations. Serum and liver thiobarbituric acid-reactive substance (TBARS) levels were measured for assessment of oxidative stress. Liver necrosis and inflammation scores and serum and liver TBARS levels were significantly higher in the TAA group compared to the control group (P < 0.001, < 0.001, 0.001, < 0.001, respectively). Liver necrosis and inflammation scores and liver TBARS levels were significantly lower in the GB group compared to the TAA group (P < 0.001, < 0.001 and 0.01, respectively). GB ameliorated hepatic damage in TAA-induced fulminant hepatic failure. This may be due to the free radical-scavenging effects of GB.

Many studies have demonstrated that cirrhosis is frequently associated with autonomic dysfunction. The aim of this study was to test autonomic dysfunction in cirrhotic patients by analyzing heart rate variability (HRV), to determine whether or not the degree of autonomic dysfunction is correlated with the severity of disease, and, also, to compare the changes of HRV between survivor and nonsurvivor groups after 2-year follow-up periods. HRV was analyzed using 24-hr ECG recording in 30 cirrhotic patients and 28 normal controls. The changes in HRV parameters including mean normal-to-normal (N-N) interbeat intervals (mean NN), standard deviation of all N-N intervals (SDNN), standard deviation of the average of N-N intervals for each 5-min period over 24 hr (SDANN), root mean square succesive differences (r-MSSD; msec), and percentage of adjacent N-N intervals that are >50 msec apart (pNN50), all as time domain parameters, were evaluated. The cirrhotic patients were also evaluated according to Child-Pugh classification scores as markers of the disease severity. The time-domain measures of HRV in cirrhotic patients were significantly reduced compared with those in the control group (for all parameters; P < 0.001). The severity of disease was associated with reduced HRV measures (for all parameters; P < 0.001). After the 2-year follow-up periods, HRV measurements in cirrhotic patients were significantly much lower in nonsurvivors than in survivors (P < 0.001 for all). We conclude that increasing severity of cirrhosis is associated with a reduction in HRV. This finding may be an indicator of poor prognosis and mortality for cirrhosis.

Background/aims: Gingko biloba is an antioxidant substance which has antagonistic activity on platelet-activating factor. We aimed to investigate the antioxidant effect and the histopathologic changes caused by Gingko biloba on acetic acid-induced colitis., Methods: Totally 22 rats were divided into three groups. Group 1 (n=7) served as the control group. Group 2 (n=7) and Group 3 (n=8) were given 2 ml/day of 4% acetic acid by intracolonic instillation for three days. Gingko biloba (100 mg/kg) was then given only to Group 3 intraperitoneally for three days. Oxidative stress was assessed by determinate tissue and serum malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, and colonic damage was assessed by histologic examination., Results: Depth of necrosis, extent of necrosis, degree of inflammation, extent of inflammation, fibrosis and total histologic scores in Group 2 were significantly higher than in the control group (p<0.05). The same parameters were lower in Group 3 versus Group 2, but the difference was not significant. Tissue and serum MDA levels in Group 2 were significantly higher than Group 1 (p<0.01 and 0.05, respectively). Again, the same parameters in Group 3 were lower than in Group 2, but the difference was not significant statistically., Conclusions: Gingko biloba did not significantly affect histopathological and oxidative stress parameters in experimental colitis.

Background and Study Aims: Bacterial translocation (BT) has been implicated in the development of infectious complications in many serious clinical conditions such as fulminant hepatic failure (FHF). We aimed to investigate the effects of Gingko biloba (GB), vitamin E (Vit E) and melatonin on intestinal oxidative damage and BT in thioacetamide (TAA)-induced FHF in rats., Materials and Methods: A total of 42 rats were divided into five groups. Group 1 (n = 8) was the control group. Group 2 (n = 10) was the TAA group, in which rats received 350 mg/kg TAA daily by the intraperitoneal (ip) route for 3 days. Oral 100 mg/kg GB per day was administered to group 3 (n = 8), oral 200 mg/kg Vit E per day to group 4 (n = 8) and ip 3 mg/kg melatonin per day to group 5 (n = 8) 48 h prior to the first TAA injection and was continued for 5 consecutive days., Results: When compared with the control group, serious hepatic and intestinal oxidative damage, increased Escherichia coli counts in ileal aspirates and high BT frequencies were observed in the TAA group (all p < 0.0001). Only GB treatment attenuated hepatic oxidative damage (p < 0.0001). There was no difference in intestinal oxidative damage, E. coli counts in ileal aspirates and BT frequency between TAA and the other antioxidant treatment groups (p > 0.05)., Conclusion: Our results suggest that intestinal oxidative damage plays a major role in the development of BT by disrupting the barrier function of intestinal mucosa.

Capgras syndrome (CS) is characterized by the delusional belief that a person, usually very close to the patient, has been replaced by a double who is physically very similar to the original. CS is relatively rare, occurring predominantly in course of schizophrenia, particularly of the paranoid sub-type, and less frequently in association with schizoaffective and affective disorder. Recent years have witnessed a sharp increase in the number of published CS cases with an organic etiology; however, CS was considered to have its origins in psychodynamic conflict. We present a patient with the CS and brain SPECT findings whom without psychiatric disorder. As an evaluation of brain SPECT, there have been found a significantly decreased blood flow in bilateral parietal regions and slightly decreased blood flow in bilateral posterior frontal regions. Cerebral dysfunction is proposed to be a central role in CS development. Unilateral right hemisphere lesions occur more frequently than the left; however, the majority of CS cases show bilateral involvement. Pathology involves many parts of the brain, most notably frontal and parietal cortex. Our findings support that frontoparietal dysfunction could be important in the pathogenesis of CS. We reviewed the neurobiology of CS and discussed our findings in this article. CS studies will give a better understanding of the neurobiological basis of psychotic experiences and may contribute to develop a paradigm on researches about other psychotic disorders.

Background/aims: Esophageal varices and serum-ascites albumin gradient (SAAG) are two major findings of portal hypertension. Recently, correlation between these two findings in patients with cirrhosis due to alcohol has been attracted attention. We aimed at evaluating whether a correlation exists between these parameters in the patients with non-alcoholic cirrhosis., Methods: Albumin levels in the serum and ascites and esophageal varices were studied and the correlation between these parameters was assessed in 45 patients with non-alcoholic cirrhosis detected between January 2002 and June 2003., Results: Thirty-two of the patients were male and 13 female. The average age of the patients was 56.3+/-12.5 years (range 22-85 years). The causative agents were found to be hepatitis B virus in 35 patients and hepatitis C virus in six patients; no etiology could be determined in the remaining four patients. Serum level of albumin was determined as 2.53+/-0.53 g/dl, ascites level of albumin as 0.42+/-0.31 g/dl and SAAG as 2.1+/-0.51. Endoscopic esophageal examination revealed first-degree esophageal varices in 15 patients, second-degree esophageal varices in 18 patients and third-degree esophageal varices in eight patients; no esophageal varices could be found in four patients. There was no correlation between the degree of the esophageal varices and serum levels of albumin (p=0.7) and SAAG (p=0.2); but a weak correlation was found between the degree of the esophageal varices and ascites levels of albumin (p=0.03, r=0.30). Furthermore, the patients were classified by their SAAG values, and their varices were then assessed. Two of four patients with SAAG values between 1.1 and 1.49 had esophageal varices, as did 13 of 15 patients with SAAG values between 1.5 and 1.99, and all of the patients with SAAG values greater than 2.0., Conclusion: All SAAG values were greater than 1.1 in our non-alcoholic cirrhosis cases. The correlation that has been found to exist between SAAG and esophageal varices could not be found in our patients with non-alcoholic cirrhosis. It is remarkable that most of the patients with non-alcoholic cirrhosis presenting with ascites and all of the patients with an SAAG value greater than 2.0 had esophageal varices.