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This study aimed at the assessment of the usability of hydrogel in increasing the efficiency of gypsum applied to saline-sodic soils. The experiment was conducted under laboratory conditions in disturbed soil columns and was set-up in a completely randomized design with six hydrogel application rates (Control, 0.05%, 0.10%, 0.15%, 0.20% and 0.25% weight/weight (w/w) basis) and with three replications. Hydrogel application to saline-sodic soil had significant effects on leachate pH. The highest leachate pH’s were found in the final leachates in the order of 0.05%>0.10%>0.15%, as 9.12, 9.09, and 9.03, respectively. In all of the application rates tested, the highest electrical conductivity (EC) and Na+ leachate losses were obtained after first pore volume of leaching and then decreased gradually with further leaching. Relative to the control, hydrogel application in the rate of 0.05% increased the leaching of Na+ by 8.1% on total. However, due to the absence of statistically significant effects of the treatments on Na+ leaching, an improvement in soil exchangeable sodium percentage (ESP) and pH in saturation extract (pHe) values as an indicator of reclamation was not proven. Use of gypsum together with hydrogel increased saturated hydraulic conductivity of soils in the rates of 28.6%-42.6%, which is especially important for reducing the duration for amelioration of saline-sodic soils. Application of hydrogel to saline-sodic soils along with gypsum can be an efficient management option not only for reducing the risk of physiological drought, but also for reducing the amount of time to reclaim saline-sodic soils.

The purpose of this subgroup analysis is to investigate and analyze the venous leg symptoms including sense of coldness and sign of ecchymosis in patients with or without peripheral varicose veins (PVVs) from VEIN-TURKEY study population. A total of 600 patients, who were enrolled to VEIN-TURKEY study recently, were included in this subgroup analysis. Patients were examined clinically for the presence and severity of PVV and varicocele. Patients were asked to answer the VEINES-Sym questionnaire consisting of 10 parts and questions about ecchymosis and coldness in their legs. Frequency of symptoms present in the VEINES-Sym instrument, coldness (16.6%, 6.5%, P = .002, respectively), and ecchymosis (16.6%, 2.7%, P < .001, respectively) were significantly higher in patients with PVV compared to patients without PVV. Mean score of each symptom was significantly lower in PVV (+) patients including scores of ecchymosis and coldness. Total VEINES-Sym score was also correlated with the scores of ecchymosis (r = 0.18, P < .001) and coldness (r = 0.35, P < .001). Logistic regression analysis revealed that heavy legs, aching legs, night cramps, and ecchymosis are significantly and independently associated with PVV. In conclusion, sign of ecchymosis and coldness are significantly higher in patients with PVV compared to patients without PVV in a population recruited from the urology clinics. In clinical evaluation, presence or sign of ecchymosis and coldness in legs should be considered to be compatible with PVV in the absence of trauma, hematologic pathologies including antiplatelet treatment, and arterial stenosis or obstruction. Vascular and Molecular Cardiology Society The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: This study was supported by the Vascular and Molecular Cardiology Society. WOS:000532776900001 32356471 Q3

Kilic, Suleyman Sirri (isu author) Objective The aim of this study is to evaluate chronic venous disease symptoms by using the Venous Insufficiency Epidemiological and Economic Study-Quality of Life/Symptoms (VEINES-QoL/Sym) questionnaire in varicocele patients. Material and methods The study was designed as a prospective, case controlled study and conducted in four hospitals from Turkey. A total of 600 patients who admitted to urology outpatient clinic were enrolled to the study. After the exclusion of 44 patients who do not match the inclusion criteria, the remaining 556 patients were examined for the presence and grade of varicocele and subsequently examined clinically for the presence of chronic venous disease findings. Finally, patients were asked to answer the VEINES-Sym questionnaire consisting of 10 items. All patients' demographic parameters, cardiovascular risk factors, other co-morbid diseases and drug usage were noted. Results Patients were classified into two groups: varicocele (+) group (n=269) and varicocele (-) group (n=287). VEINES-Sym scores of varicocele patients were lower compared to patients without varicocele (41.415.21, 43.19 +/- 3.22, respectively, p

WOS: 000337256000005, PubMed: 24337212, Aim: Oxidative stress, which is widely recognised as an important feature of many diseases, can be defined as an increased formation of reactive oxygen species or decreased antioxidant defense. In this study we measured plasma vitamin E levels and total antioxidant activity (AOA) in patients with slow coronary flow (SCF). Methods: The plasma vitamin E levels and AOA were measured in 40 patients with angiographically diagnosed SCF. Forty subjects with normal coronary flow (NCF) served as the control group. SCF and NCF were analysed, and blood samples were taken for plasma vitamin E levels and AOA. Plasma vitamin E levels and AOA in patients with SCF were evaluated and compared to those of patients with NCF. Results: There was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of plasma AOA, lipid profile and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels but there was a significant difference in vitamin E levels between the two groups (p = 0.001). Conclusion: Vitamin E levels were found to be lowered in patients with SCF compared to the NCF group. The association between smoking and vitamin E levels is worth further investigating in larger samples.

WOS: 000283727000039, PubMed ID: 19446349, …

gamma-Glutamyltransferase (GGT), an enzyme responsible for the extracellular catabolism of antioxidant glutathione, may explicitly participate in atherogenesis. Several population-based studies have documented strong cross-sectional associations between serum GGT concentrations and certain cardiovascular risk factors, irrespective of alcohol consumption. The mechanism underlying these associations remains largely enigmatic. Considerable association of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, a major inflammatory marker for cardiovascular risk, with GGT and other cardiovascular risk factors has been described, implying that elevation of serum GGT (conceivably acting as a marker of oxidative stress) is correlated with subclinical microinflammatory response involved in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. It is also relevant to assess whether the prognostic impact of a novel risk marker can be influenced by therapeutic intervention, thus decreasing the occurrence of cardiovascular events. Subtle gradations in serum GGT may help predict long-term cardiovascular prognosis, and the supplementary GGT determination to conventional testing has potential implications for screening those at increased cardiovascular risk who may benefit from prophylactic measures and require enhanced therapeutic effort. It has been reported that serum GGT may contribute to the accumulation of GGT activity inside the plaque. Further comprehension is, however, needed about the relationship of GGT activity inside the plaque with inflammatory biomarkers, plasma lipoproteins, and other independent determinants to define the most risky combination and improve the prognostic stratification of patients.