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Objective: Guidelines recommend measuring and addressing health-related quality of life in the management of atrial fibrillation (AF); however, a disease-specific questionnaire is lacking for the Turkish language. Our aim was to translate and adapt the Atrial Fibrillation Impact Questionnaire (AFImpact) into Turkish and to explore its psychometric properties. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in two phases, including the translation and cultural adaptation of AFImpact into Turkish language and the analysis of psychometric properties of the translated questionnaire. 98 patients diagnosed with AF were evaluated using the Turkish version of AFImpact, Short Form-36 (SF-36) and Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Reliability, validity, and factor structure of the Turkish version of AFImpact was explored. Results: Cronbach's alpha coefficients for vitality, emotional distress, and sleep domains of AFImpact was 0.956, 0.955, and 0.819, respectively, indicating good-to-excellent internal consistency. No significant difference was detected between the initial and retest scores, and intraclass correlation coefficients of each domain varied between 0.991 and 0.996, indicating excellent test-retest reliability. Each domain of AFImpact highly correlated with similar domains of SF-36 and PSQI, having correlation coefficients between -0.484 and -0.699. AFImpact was able to discriminate between the patients in different functional classes, confirming know-groups validity. Factor analysis revealed AFImpact had the same factorial structure as the original questionnaire. Conclusion: The Turkish version of AFImpact is a valid and reliable questionnaire for evaluating health-related quality of life in patients with AF. © 2021 Turkish Society of Cardiology. All rights reserved. Funding: No funding was received for this research.

[No Abstract Available]

Purpose: The objective of this study was to demonstrate a new suturing technique in reference to fascia closure after laparotomy in an experimental setup to increase the tearing force of the fascia. Methods: Two ordinary DIN A4 papers, which represents the fascia were sutured at the edges in a length of approx. 5 cm with the known continuous technique in the abdominal surgery and with the new technique, we called it: Spider suture. A bucket arranged on the interconnection was filled with sand until the sutures teared. Measuring the final weight of the bucket allowed comparing the carrying capacities of the paper of the two techniques. Results: A significant (Fisher’s test, p=0.017) increase of mean carrying capacity from 1776.5g (classic continuous suture) to 5101.75g (basic Spider suture) was found. The carrying capacity of the paper was increased to 287% compared to the classic continuous suture. Conclusion: Spider suture could be an effective improvement in closure of the abdominal wall in abdominal surgery to minimize the risk of developing of incisional hernia. This method allows the surgeon to perform an abdominal closure adapted to the quality of patient’s fascia. Further clinical studies will show the effectiveness of this method.&nbsp

Objective Matrix metalloproteases (MMPs), particularly MMP2 and MMP9 increase tumor invasion and edema in meningiomas. Although lesser recognized, MMPs may also enhance cell growth via liberating growth factors or via cleaving inactive growth factors into active isoforms. However, there exist very few studies, which investigated correlation of MMPs with growth fraction in meningiomas. Meningiomas are seen more frequently in women and their growth accelarate during pregnancy. However, no study examined whether MMP-expressions in meningioma differ with gender. Patients and Methods In a pilot immunohistochemical study, we analyzed the correlation of MMP9 expression with Ki67 index and whether gender influences MMP9 expression. We retrospectively selected 24 meningioma cases including 10 cases with WHO Grade-1 tumors and 7 cases each with WHO Grade-2 and 3 tumors, respectively. Results We separately determined the intensity and area of MMP9 staining and also calculated an expression index by multiplying these two parameters. Spearman correlation analyses revealed that MMP9 staining intensity, staining area and expression index significantly correlated with Ki67 proliferation index. MMP9 staining indices were significantly higher in women specimens. Conclusion If these findings will be confirmed in larger series, MMP-inhibitors and female hormone receptor-antagonists may be combined to augment chemotherapy efficacy and to attenuate invasion in high-grade meningiomas.

Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) are rare, accounting forless than 3% of ali gastrointestinal neoplasms and less than 6% of ali sarcomas (1-3). İn the past, mesenchymal tumors ofthe gastrointestinal tract were usually classified as ieiomyomas or ieiomyosarcomas (4-5). GISTs can originate in the gastrointestinal tract, mesentery, or omentum (1). They typically arise in the bowel wall, usually from the muscularis propria. The most common sites of presentation for GISTs are the stomach and small bowel but rarely other parts. Retroperitoneal localisation is very low (1)., Gastrointestinal stromal tümörler (GİST) tümörlerinin %3'ünden azını ve tüm sarkomların %6'dan azını oluşturan nadir tümörlerdir. Geçmişte, gastrointestinal traktın mezenkimal tümörleri genellikle leiomyom veya leimoyosarkom olarak sınıflandırılırdı (4-5). Gastrointestinal trakt, mezenter veya omentumdan kaynaklanabilir (1). GİST tipik olarak bağırsak duvarından, genellikle de muskularis propriadan, köken alır. GİST'in genellikle en yaygın görülme yeri mide ve ince bağırsak olmakla beraber nadir olarak diğer bölümlerde de rastlanabilir. Retroperitoneal lokalizasyonu çok azdır

81st Annual Meeting of the Deutsche-Gesellschaft-fur-Experimentelle-und-Klinische-Pharmakologie-und-Toxikologie-e-V -- MAR 10-12, 2015 -- Kiel, GERMANY WOS: 000359539100032 … Deutsch Gesell Experimentelle & Klinische Pharmakologie & Pharmakologie e V

AIM:The molecular mechanism of epileptogenesis in temporal lobe epilepsy is still unclear. Experimental studies have suggested that matrix metalloproteinases have important roles in this process, but human studies are limited. The aim of this study was to assess the expression of MMP-9, MMP-2 and their tissue inhibitors (TIMP-1 and TIMP-2) in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy with hippocampal sclerosis (TLE-HS).

AIM: The molecular mechanism of epileptogenesis in temporal lobe epilepsy is still unclear. Experimental studies have suggested that matrix metalloproteinases have important roles in this process, but human studies are limited. The aim of this study was to assess the expression of MMP-9, MMP-2 and their tissue inhibitors (TIMP-1 and TIMP-2) in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy with hippocampal sclerosis (TLE-HS). MATERIAL AND METHODS: The tissue samples from temporal neocortex and hippocampus were obtained from patients with temporal lobe epilepsy with hippocampal sclerosis who had undergone anterior temporal lobectomy for recurrent medically resistant seizures. Immunohistochemical methods were used to determine the expression of MMP-9, MMP-2 and their tissue inhibitors. Tissue samples were also analyzed with transmission electron microscopy. RESULTS: The immunoreactivity for MMP-9 both in hippocampal and temporal neocortical neurons was stronger than that of MMP-2. Additionally, there was a mild reaction for its tissue inhibitor TIMP-1 as with TIMP-2. The TEM analysis of the hippocampus revealed that there was apparent ultra-structural damage on the pericarya and neuropil of some neurons. There was obvious damage in the mitochondria and the nuclear membrane. CONCLUSION: The preliminary results of this study revealed that MMP-9 may have a role in patients with drug resistant TLE-HS.

Objectives: The purpose of the current investigation was to assess the effect of surgery on clinical and pulmonary data in valve surgery (VS). Methodology: As a result of retrospective review performed between January and December, 2004, 30 patients' data were studied. Preoperative patients' characteristics, cardiac profiles, coronary risk factors, operative and postoperative data, pulmonary function tests (PFT) and respiratory muscle strength (RMS) measurements were collected. Results: Mean values of all predicted values of PFT and RMS were normal preoperatively. There was a significant decrease in FVC (p

In the endometrium preparing for pregnancy, the stromal matrix components of the cells and their products begin structural differentiation due to endometrial receptivity. According to the hypothesis that 'extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins and adhesion molecules take roles in the structural differentiation as a result of endometrial decidualization', our aim was to determine the roles of ECM molecules laminin, fibronectin and adhesion proteins integrin a5 and b4 in the decidulization and implantation by examining the emergence and changing distribution of these proteins. In this study, five experimental groups, consisting of 40 pregnant animals on pregnancy days 4-8, were used. Paraffin tissue serial sections that were 6-8 µm in thickness from the implantation areas were stained by immunohistochemical techniques. Decidual reaction area (DRA) was first observed on pregnancy day 4. Fibronectin was observed densely in the center of the DRA on pregnancy days 4, 5 and in the primary decidual area (PDRA) on pregnancy days 6-8. Although integrin a5 had a similar staining to fibronectin up to pregnancy day 6, it was very weak in PDRA after that day. While laminin was dense in the basal lamina of the lumen and glandular epithelium and in the periphery of the DRA at the beginning, it was observed to be dense in the secondary decidual area (SDRA) after pregnancy day 6 and to have paralel immunoreactivity to integrin b4 on all pregnancy days. In conclusion, we can say that decidual reaction appears on pregnancy days 4-8 and not only laminin and fibronectin but also integrin a5 and b4 take part actively in decidual tissue formation and implantation events in the endometrium of rat uterus.

Introduction. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is known to influence testis function. Transforming growth factor alpha (TGF-alpha) is expressed in the postnatal testis, and has been demonstrated to stimulate testis development. Systemic diseases such as chronic renal failure (CRF) interfere with hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis, which may cause defective steroidogenesis and gonadal functions. The aim of this study was to investigate the expression and localization of VEGF and TGF-alpha in testicular tissues of experimental CRF model. Material and methods. Experimental CRF was induced in rats by the resection of more than 85% of renal mass. The expression of VEGF and TGF-alpha in testicular tissues were assessed by immunohistochemistry on paraffin sections of control, CRF-nondialysed and CRF-dialysed rats. Results. The microscopic evaluation of the testicular structure showed that CRF did not affect testicular histology. Immunohistochemical evaluation showed that VEGF was expressed in the cytoplasm of primary and secondary spermatocyte series as well as the early spermatids. Staining intensity was lower in spermatocytes going through the first meiotic division. TGF-alpha was expressed in the nuclei of spermatogonia and primary spermatocytes with stronger staining intensity in spermatogonia. The intensity of VEGF staining was similar in control and experimental animals, however, TGF-alpha expression was lower in the CRF group. Conclusions. The continuous expression of VEGF in spermatocytes and spermatids suggests that the applied model of CRF does not directly disrupt morphology of seminiferous epithelium, thus also spermiogenesis. However, difference between control rats and CRF group in TGF-alpha immunopositivity, which was localised in spermatogonial mitosis step, may suggest the interference of CRF with early stages of spermatogenesis.

PMID = 24341125

Angiogenesis, recruitment of new blood vessels, is an essential component of the metastatic pathway. These vessels provide the principal route by which tumor cells exit the primary tumor site and enter the circulation. For many tumors, the vascular density can provide a prognostic indicator of metastatic potential, with the highly vascular primary tumors having a higher incidence of metastasis than poorly vascular tumors. The discovery and characterization of tumor-derived angiogenesis modulators greatly contributed to our understanding of how tumors regulate angiogenesis. However, although angiogenesis appears to be a rate-limiting event in tumor growth and metastatic dissemination, a direct connection between the induction of angiogenesis and the progression to tumor malignancy is less well understood. In this review, we discuss the observations concerning the modulation of angiogenesis and their implications in various neurological disorders, as well as their potential impact on cancer therapy. © W. S. Maney & Son Ltd 2012.

Yakupoglu, Yarkin Kamil/0000-0002-4764-0289 WOS: 000312147000098 …

Angiogenesis, recruitment of new blood vessels, is an essential component of the metastatic pathway. These vessels provide the principal route by which tumor cells exit the primary tumor site and enter the circulation. For many tumors, the vascular density can provide a prognostic indicator of metastatic potential, with the highly vascular primary tumors having a higher incidence of metastasis than poorly vascular tumors. The discovery and characterization of tumor-derived angiogenesis modulators greatly contributed to our understanding of how tumors regulate angiogenesis. However, although angiogenesis appears to be a rate-limiting event in tumor growth and metastatic dissemination, a direct connection between the induction of angiogenesis and the progression to tumor malignancy is less well understood. In this review, we discuss the observations concerning the modulation of angiogenesis and their implications in various neurological disorders, as well as their potential impact on cancer therapy.

The preventive and therapeutic effects ofEicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) on diet-inducedhyperlipidemia in rabbits have been investigated.Eighteen New Zealand rabbits were randomly dividedinto three groups of 6 subjects each; experimental group-I (EG-I) was administered a cholesterol rich diet,experimental group-II (EG-II) was treated with EPA(300 mg/kg/d) following a cholesterol-rich diet and thecontrol group (CG) had a standard diet. Blood sampleswere collected at day 0 and at the 4th and 12th weeks ofEG-II to obtain serum levels of total cholesterol (TC),high density lipid-cholesterol (HDL-C), low densitylipid-cholesterol (LDL-C) and triglyceride (TG). Fromeach group tissue samples were collected from thecarotid artery for immunohistochemistry and electronmicroscopy. Our results showed that EPA couldsignificantly lower (p

Einleitung: Kennzeichen maligner Entartung von Tumorzellen ist die Invasion in Nachbarstrukturen und Setzen von Metastasen. Neuere Erkenntnisse geben Hinweise darauf, dass Hypoxie nicht nur Tumorangiogenese induziert, sondern auch Expression von Genen moduliert, die Tumorinvasion und Metastasierung [for full text, please go to the a.m. URL], 126. Kongress der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Chirurgie

The aim of this study was to investigate the pleotropic effects of an extract of a traditional herb, Tribulus terrestris (TT), on the lipid profile and vascular endothelium of the abdominal aorta in New Zealand rabbits fed a cholesterol-rich diet. Eighteen rabbits were randomly divided into three groups (n = 6 for each). One experimental group (EG-I) was given a cholesterol-rich diet, a second experimental group (EG-II) was treated with TT following a cholesterol-rich diet, and a control group (CG) was fed a standard diet. Blood samples were collected on day 0 and then at weeks 4 and 12 to determine total serum cholesterol (TC), high density lipid-cholesterol (HDL-C), low density lipid-cholesterol (LDL-C) and triglyceride (TG) levels. Tissues were collected from the abdominal aorta for immunohistochemistry and transmission and scanning electron microscopy. In EG-II, the serum lipid profile was significantly lower than that of EG-I at week 12 with a reduction of TC: 65%; LDL-C: 66%; HDL-C: 64%; TG: 55%. Ultrastructural analysis revealed that endothelial. damage was more prominent in EG-I compared to EG-II. The ruptured endothelial. linings and damaged cellular surfaces increased in EG-I compared to EG-II. Our data indicate that dietary intake of TT can significantly lower serum lipid profiles, decrease endothelial cellular surface damage and rupture and may partially repair the endothelial dysfunction resulting from hyperlipidemia.. (C) 2008 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Extracts of the medicinal herb Tribulus terrestris (TT) are used for treating various diseases. The saponins, a component of TT, play a role in regulating blood pressure and in treatment of hyperlipidemia. The aim of the study was to investigate the immunohistochemical and ultrastructural alterations in the cerebral cortex of experimental rabbits on a cholesterol rich diet treated with TT. The rabbits were divided into three groups and followed for 12 weeks as control group (CG); experimental group I (EG-I), fed with a cholesterol-rich diet; experimental group II (EG-II), treated with an extract of TT (5mg/kg/day) after a cholesterol-rich diet of 4 weeks. In EG-I there were ultrastructural changes, including mitochondrial degeneration, increased lipofuscin pigments, myelin sheath damage with axoplasmic shrinkage and electron dense granules in the neurovascular unit. The number of synapses apparently decreased in both experimental groups. Administration of TT extract in EG-II led to marked ultrastructural alterations in neurons, including decreased mitochondrial degeneration (P