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Olives can be used both for table consumption or oil production. For table consumption, curing olives is an ancient process that turns the naturally bitter raw fruit into a deliciously salty, tart snack. This study is aimed to investigate table olive characteristics of raw and processed olives from six cultivar candidates. Cultivar candidates were developed by cross breeding between Gemlik and Edinciksu cultivars. Olive from Gemlik cultivar, genitor and widespread produced table olive cultivar in Turkey, was used for comparison. Fruit and seed size with weight, water content, titratable acidity, pH, hardness, color along with oleuropein absorbance (K345) value, salt, total phenolic content, antioxidant activity and sensory analysis were studied on both raw and processed olives. Results showed that the average fruit weight, titratable acidity, oleuropein absorbance value, total phenolic content and antioxidant activity of raw and processed olives of genotypes were found between 4.3-6.5 and 3.9-6.0 g, 0.27-0.38% and 0.33-0.59%, 1.08-2.52 and 0.16-0.26, 175.22- 463.15 and 91.00-113.23 mg gallic acid equivalent/100 g, 2618.73-4296.23 and 130.29-147.26 µM trolox/kg, respectively. Statistically significant difference was observed between raw and processed olive for salt, total phenolic content, antioxidant activity, oleuropein absorbance and hardness. It might be caused by genetic factors, which affect skin and tissue permeability of olives during processing. Result of this study showed that there were differences on physical and chemical characteristics og genotypes and GE379 had highest total phenol content, GE397 had highest fruit weight and second highest total sensory scores and GE366 had highest sensory appearance, taste general appreciation and total scores among processed olives. GE366 and GE397 had more remarkable characteristics for production with spontaneous fermentation than other samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Bronchiectasis is characterized by abnormal, persistent, and irreversible enlargement of the bronchi. Many etiological factors have been described, but there are limited data on the development of bronchiectasis after organ transplantation. Our study is the first to study evaluate the frequency of bronchiectasis in heart and liver transplants as well as kidney transplants. Our aim is to analyze the frequency of bronchiectasis development after solid-organ transplant and the characteristics of the cases and to evaluate potential relationships., Materials and Methods: We retrospectively analyzed data of patients who underwent solid-organ transplant at the Başkent University Faculty of Medicine Hospital through the hospital electronic information system. Demographic, clinical, and laboratory data and thoracic computed tomography scans were evaluated., Results: The study included 468 patients (151 females/317 males). Kidney transplant was performed in 61.5% (n = 207), heart transplant in 20.3% (n = 95), and liver transplant in 18.2% (n = 85) of patients. Development of bronchiectasis was detected in only 13 patients (2.7%). We determined a 13.64-fold risk of developing bronchiectasis in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and 10.08-fold risk in patients with pneumonia by multivariate regression analyzes, in which all possible risk factors for the development of bronchiectasis after transplant were evaluated., Conclusions: The pathophysiology of transplantassociated bronchiectasis has not yet been clarified. Underlying diseases, recurrent pulmonary infections, and potential effects from immunosuppressive drugs may contribute to the pathogenesis of bronchiectasis. Further prospective studies are needed to include long-term health outcomes in transplant patients with and without bronchiectasis.

Introduction: Long-time exposure to high altitude leads to changing at the respiratory, cardiovascular and hematological systems. There is no sufficient study about cardiovascular changes in moderate altitude. The distance between the peak and the end of the T wave (Tp-e) is a measure of transmyocardial distribution of repolarization and may be associated to dangerous rhythm disorders and ventricular arrhythmias. Again, P-wave dispersion (PWD) described as the extension of interatrial and intraatrial conduction time and inhomogeneous spread of sinus pulses are well recognized electrophysiologic features in patients with atrial fibrillation. We aimed to compare repolarization parameters (Tp-e interval, Tp-e/QT ratio, QT, cQT) and P wave dispersion between healthy people living at moderate altitude and sea level., Methods: In this study included 80 healthy people living at moderate altitude (1600 m, Group I) and 90 people living at sea level (0-4 m, Group II). All people were born and grew up at the same altitude area. Being migrant to living area, people with structural heart disease, rhythm disorders, pulmonary diseases or any systemic chronic disease were excluded criteria in the study. Tp-e interval, QT interval, cQT, Tp-e/QT ratio, P wave durations and PWD were measured from D2 and V5 leads with 20 mm/mV amplitude and 50 mm/s rate. All the measurements were repeated three times and were evaluated manually with a magnifying glass., Results: There were no differences in baseline demographic, laboratory, echocardiographic parameters and coronary artery risk factors. The QRS duration (94.2 ± 14.8 msn and 90.2 ± 9.3 msn, p = 0.05) and corrected QT time (415.8 ± 20.1 msn and 403.9 ± 20.5 msn; p = 0.001), Tp-e interval (86.5 ± 11.7 msn and 80.5 ± 10.4 msn p = 0.001) and Tp-e/QT ratio (0.23 ± 0.03 msn and 0.22 ± 0.03 msn p = 0.011) were statistically significantly higher in the moderate altitude group. P wave maximum, minimum time and PWD were similar in both groups (p > 0.05)., Conclusion: Moderate altitude leads to subclinical electrocardiographic changes in healthy individuals such as high altitude. Repolarization parameters (Tp-e interval, Tp-e/QT ratio, and cQT) are prolonged without cardiac structural changes. It should be kept in mind that people living in moderate altitude may be more susceptible to arrhythmia in the future, and findings should be supported in large randomized trials., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The aim of this study was to elucidate whether circumcision during the phallic period (3-to 6-year old) has a negative impact on psychosexual functions in adulthood. Over a 6-month period, healthy and sexually active men between 30 and 40 years without any comorbidities were involved. Participants were evaluated with detailed history, physical examination, International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF), Premature Ejaculation Diagnostic Tool (PEDT) and Beck Depression Inventory. Cases were divided into two groups according to the age at circumcision (group-1: phallic period, group-2: nonphallic period). Student's t-test and Kruskall-Wallis were used for statistical analysis. Of the 321 participants, a total of 302 men were eligible for the study (group-1: n = 135, group-2: n = 167). No statistical difference was found between the mean total IIEF scores (group-1: 25.1 ± 4.8, group-2: 25.4 ± 4.6, P > 0.05). The subdomains of IIEF; erectile function, orgasm, sexual desire, intercourse satisfaction, overall satisfaction were also found to be comparable. Additionally, the PEDT scores were similar between the two groups (group-1: 8.2 ± 4.8, group-2: 8.7 ± 5.4, P > 0.05). Finally, Beck depression scores were also found to be comparable between the groups (group-1: 10.8 ± 10.4, group-2: 9.8 ± 8.9, P > 0.05). Our results suggest that circumcision during the phallic period does not negatively affect the psychosexual functions in adulthood., (© 2013 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.)

Hydatid cyst is a parasitic infestation that is distributed world-wide. It may be found in nearly any part of the body, most often in the liver and the lungs, but occasionally in other structures such as the thyroid gland. Thyroid gland is very rarely involved by this parasitic infection even in Turkey where the echinococcal disease is endemic. In this article we report a very rarely encountered case of thyroid cyst revealed by hoarseness, and underwent subtotal thyroidectomy and diagnosed as primary hydatid cyst disease by histological studies.

Objective: To investigate whether the child's and the parents' reports about lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) are reliable and correlate with each other., Materials and Methods: A validated questionnaire, the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire Pediatric Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms, including both children and parent versions, was completed by children (age 5-18 years) with and without LUTS (control) and their parents without assistance. All children were investigated with detailed history, bladder diary, urinalysis, and flowmetry with postvoid residual urine volume measurement. The data were stratified into 3 age groups (5-9, 10-13, and 14-18 years). The reliability of both versions was evaluated using Cronbach's α and ≥0.7 indicated acceptability. The correlation between the children's and parents' reports for each question was evaluated using Spearman correlation coefficients. The receiver operating characteristic curve was used to define the cutoff points, and the sensitivity and specificity were calculated. The principal component analysis method was used to explain the construct validity., Results: A total of 272 children (147 with and 125 without LUTS) and their parents completed the questionnaire. The children and parent versions of the questionnaire were both reliable (Cronbach's α 0.709 and 0.710, respectively). The sensitivity and specificity was 82.4% and 80.0% for the children version and 87.8% and 78.4% for the parent version, respectively. The reliability and acceptability of the children's reports were insufficient for the 5-9 year age group, and the parents' answers were unreliable for the 10-13 year age group. The correlation between the parent and children reports was the lowest for the 10-13 year age group., Conclusion: The alteration in the reliability in the different age groups suggests that the combination of the parent and children versions is most appropriate for screening children with LUTS., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: The purpose of this study was to determine the clinical and dosimetric factors associated with acute esophagitis (AE) in lung cancer patients treated with conformal radiotherapy (RT) in Turkey., Materials and Methods: In this retrospective review 104 lung cancer patients were examined. Esophagitis grades were verified weekly during treatment, and at 1 week, and 1 and 2 months afterwards. The clinical parameters included patient age, gender, tumor pathology, number of chemotherapy treatments before RT, concurrent chemotherapy, radiation dose, tumor response to RT, tumor localization, interruption of RT, weight loss, tumor and nodal stage and tumor volume. The following dosimetric parameters were analyzed for correlation of AE: The maximum (Dmax) and mean (Dmean) doses delivered to the esophagus, the percentage of esophagus volume receiving ≥10 Gy (V10), ≥20 Gy (V20), ≥30 Gy (V30), ≥35 Gy (V35), ≥40 Gy (V40), ≥45 Gy (V45), ≥50 Gy (V50) and ≥60 Gy (V60)., Results: Fifty-five patients (52.9%) developed AE. Maximum grades of AE were recorded: Grade 1 in 51 patients (49%), and Grade 2 in 4 patients (3.8%). Clinical factors had no statistically significant influence on the incidence of AE. In terms of dosimetric findings, correlation analyses demonstrated a significant association between AE and Dmax (>5117 cGy), Dmean (>1487 cGy) and V10-60 (percentage of volume receiving >10 to 60 Gy). The most significant relationship between RT and esophagitis were in Dmax (>5117 cGy) (p=0.002) and percentage of esophageal volume receiving >30 Gy (V30>31%) (p=0.008) in the logistic regression analysis., Conclusions: The maximum dose esophagus greater than 5117 cGy and approximately one third (31%) of the esophageal volume receiving >30 Gy was the most statistically significant predictive factor associated with esophagitis due to RT.

Determination of S-allele combinations of sweet cherry genotypes and cultivars has importance for both growers and breeders. We determined S-allele combinations of 40 local Turkish sweet cherry genotypes using a PCR-based method. Ten different S-alleles were detected. Although the most common S-allele was S3, as also found in Western genotypes and cultivars, there were some differences in the frequencies of some S-alleles between Turkish and Western sweet cherry genotypes. According to their S-allele compositions, 30 local Turkish sweet cherry genotypes were assigned to 10 previously identified incompatibility groups. For the remaining genotypes, whose S-allele combinations did not fit to any previous incompatibility groups, three more incompatibility groups, XLII, XLIII and XLIV, were proposed. Results obtained from this study will help both sweet cherry growers and breeders to better manage these local Turkish sweet cherry genotypes in their orchards.