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Matrix metalloproteinases 9 (MMP9) are enzymes involved in regulating neuroplasticity in the hippocampus. This, combined with evidence for disrupted hippocampal structure and function in schizophrenia, has prompted our current investigation into the relationship between MMP9 and hippocampal volumes in schizophrenia. 34 healthy individuals (mean age = 32.50, male = 21, female = 13) and 30 subjects with schizophrenia (mean age = 33.07, male = 19, female = 11) underwent a blood draw and T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging. The hippocampus was automatically segmented utilizing FreeSurfer. MMP9 plasma levels were measured with ELISA. ANCOVAs were conducted to compare MMP9 plasma levels (corrected for age and sex) and hippocampal volumes between groups (corrected for age, sex, total intracranial volume). Spearman correlations were utilized to investigate the relationship between symptoms, medication, duration of illness, number of episodes, and MMP9 plasma levels in patients. Last, we explored the correlation between MMP9 levels and hippocampal volumes in patients and healthy individuals separately. Patients displayed higher MMP9 plasma levels than healthy individuals (F(1, 60) = 21.19, p < 0.0001). MMP9 levels correlated with negative symptoms in patients (R = 0.39, p = 0.035), but not with medication, duration of illness, or the number of episodes. Further, patients had smaller left (F(1,59) = 9.12, p = 0.0040) and right (F(1,59) = 6.49, p = 0.013) hippocampal volumes. Finally, left (R = -0.39, p = 0.034) and right (R = -0.37, p = 0.046) hippocampal volumes correlated negatively with MMP9 plasma levels in patients. We observe higher MMP9 plasma levels in SCZ, associated with lower hippocampal volumes, suggesting involvement of MMP9 in the pathology of SCZ. Future studies are needed to investigate how MMP9 influences the pathology of SCZ over the lifespan, whether the observed associations are specific for schizophrenia, and if a therapeutic modulation of MMP9 promotes neuroprotective effects in SCZ.

Objective: Postoperative atrial fibrillation is commonly seen after cardiac surgery. One of the contributing factors is mediastinal shed blood and inflammation. Cell salvage techniques can reduce allogenic blood transfusion and reduce inflammation. The aim of this study was to investigate the reduction of postoperative atrial fibrillation by using the cell-salvage system. Methods: Patients who underwent isolated coronary artery bypass graft surgery (n = 498) were analyzed retrospectively in 2 groups. Postoperative atrial fibrillation group (n = 75) and non-postoperative atrial fibrillation group (n = 423). Preoperative and postoperative demographic and clinical data were compared between the 2 groups, respectively. Postoperative atrial fibrillation and possible contributing factors were analyzed with multinomial logistic regression analysis. Results: In the postoperative atrial fibrillation group, the patients' age and European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation (Euroscore) were higher than in the non-postoperative atrial fibrillation group (P = .001 and P = .003, respectively). Postoperative intensive care unit stay and hospital stay were longer in the postoperative atrial fibrillation group than in the non-postoperative atrial fibrillation group (P =.001 and P = .046, respectively). There were no statistical differences in mortality between groups. The incidence of postoperative atrial fibrillation decreased with the use of cell saver system and low Euroscore. Conclusion: The use of a cell salvage device intraoperatively and during the early postoperative period can decrease the incidence of postoperative atrial fibrillation group.

Background: This study evaluates the clinical outcome of patients with robotic mitral valve replacement (MVR).Methods: Between January 2010 and April 2022, 117 consecutive patients underwent robotic MVR with or without additional cardiac procedures. All procedures were completed by a single surgical team with Da Vinci Robotic Systems. Perioperative variables and early clinical outcomes were recorded.Results: Mean age and EuroScore II of the patients were 57.1 +/- 12.9 and 5.1 +/- 5.7, respectively. Isolated MVR was performed in 55 (47.0\%) patients and combined cardiac procedures were performed in 62 (53.0\%) patients. Additional procedures included: ablation for atrial fibrillation, tricuspid valve replacement, tricuspid valve repair, left atrial appendix ligation, patent foramen ovale closure, left atrial thrombectomy and septal myectomy for hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy. Mean cardiopulmonary bypass time and cross clamp time were 143 +/- 54 and 93 +/- 37 minutes, respectively. Mean intensive care unit stay time was 26.5 +/- 26.0 hours. Postoperative stroke was observed in one (0.9\%) patient and new onset renal failure was observed in two (1.7\%) patients. Perioperative and postoperative early mortality was observed in three (2.6\%) patients, which was lower than expected.Conclusions: Robotic MVR is feasible and can be performed with good early postoperative outcomes. A majority of the patients require additional cardiac procedures.

This study aimed to investigate acute effects of table tennis (physical+cognitive exercise), aerobic running (physical exercise), and chess (cognitive exercise) exercise sessions of veteran male athletes in their branches on the serum homocysteine (Hcy), insulin growth factor-1 (IGF-1), and cortisol (Cor) levels. Thirty veteran athletes [10 table tennis players (TT), 10 long-distance runners (LR), 10 chess players (CP)] and 10 sedentary controls (SC) between 50 and 65 years of age participated in the study. Blood samples were obtained before and immediately after exercise to determine serum Hcy, IGF-1, and Cor levels. According to their branch, each veteran athlete performed exercise sessions (70-75% of the participants' heart rate reserve) of 10-min of warm-up followed by 40-min of table tennis, aerobic running, or chess. TT and LR groups demonstrated significant increases in the serum IGF-1, Cor, and Hcy levels from pre to post-exercise (p0.05). LR group had a greater serum Cor increase than all exercise groups (p

The aim of this study is to evaluate the physical activity levels and the quality of life of the university students. In this purpose, the SF-36 life quality scale was used to examine the quality of life of the participants and physical activity levels were also determined through IPAQ. One-way ANOVA was used to compare the quality of life based on the physical activity levels of the participants. Moreover, the Bonferroni Correction were used to determine which physical activity level causes the difference by keeping the type I error rate fixed at 0.05. Statistically significant results were observed between social function and physical activity levels for the female group. In addition, statistically significant results were found between vitality and physical activity levels for the male group. The results show that there is a significant relationship between physical activity and quality of life. The individuals who feel more fit and social tend to have an active life. Given that it is crucial to intensify the studies on this topic for university students to encourage them for taking up regular physical activity as a part of life style.

To investigate the relation between use of bone wax and postoperative sternal dehiscence after cardiac surgery.Five thousnad three hundred and eighteen consecutive patients who underwent cardiac surgery between 1999 and 2009 were evaluated prospectively. Perioperative use of bone wax, perioperative data and outcome parameters were recorded. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to define independent risk factors for postoperative sternal dehiscence.Bone wax was used in a total of 1151 (21%) patients. Postoperative sternal dehiscence was detected in 88 (1.6%) patients. The postoperative sternal dehiscence rate was 1.4% in patients without bone wax and 2.5% in patients with bone wax (p = 0.001). The rate of bone wax use was 36.4% in patients with sternal dehiscence and 21.4% in patients without sternal dehiscence (p0.001). Independent risk factors for postoperative sternal dehiscence were defined as: age70 (OR = 1.9, 95% CI: 1.2-3.1, p = 0.005), chronic obstructive lung disease (OR = 2.4, 95% CI: 1.5-3.9, p0.001), use of bone wax (OR = 1.6, 95% CI: 1.03-2.5, p = 0.03), nonelective operation (OR = 2, 95% CI: 1.1-3.4, p = 0.009), and body mass index30 (OR = 2.2, 95% CI: 1.4-3.5, p0.001).Our findings suggest that use of bone wax may be associated with increased postoperative sternal dehiscence after cardiac surgery. Thus liberal use of bone wax should be restricted.Zbadanie związku pomiędzy użyciem wosku kostnego a pooperacyjnym rozejściem mostka po operacjach kardiochirurgicznych.Prospektywnej ocenie poddano kolejnych 5318 pacjentów, którzy przeszli zabiegi kardiochirurgiczne w latach 1999–2009. Odnotowywano okołooperacyjne użycie wosku kostnego, dane okołooperacyjne oraz parametry wyników. Wykonano wielowymiarową analizę regresji logistycznej, aby zdefiniować niezależne czynniki ryzyka dla pooperacyjnego rozejścia mostka.Wosk kostny zastosowano u łącznie 1151 (21%) pacjentów. Pooperacyjne rozejście mostka odnotowano u 88 (1,6%) osób. Wystąpiło ono u 1,4% pacjentów, u których nie używano wosku kostnego, oraz u 2,5% pacjentów, u których wosk kostny był stosowany (Wyniki pracy sugerują, że stosowanie wosku kostnego może być związane ze zwiększoną częstością pooperacyjnego rozchodzenia się mostka po operacjach kardiochirurgicznych. W związku z powyższym uzasadnione może być ograniczenie obfitego stosowania wosku kostnego.

ÖZET İntravasküler fasiitis (psödosarkom) yüzeyel veya derin fasyadan köken alan ve küçük/ orta arter ve venleri tutabilen benign reaktif myofibroblastik pro liferasyondur. Nadir görülen bir patolojidir. Progresif vasküler tutulum ile seyredebilir ve malign neoplazmlar ile karıştırılabilir. Bu çalışmada kliniği mizde cerrahi olarak tedavi edilen sol subklavian ven yerleşimli intravaskü ler fasiitisli bir olgu sunulmuştur.