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Polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) is a semi-crystalline engineering thermoplastic polyester. PBT offers rapid molding cycles, high heat resistant, crystallinity, fatigue resistance, strength and rigidity, excellent electrical properties, creep resistance, reproducible mold shrinkage and chemical resistance. In this study, PBT was loaded with synthetic graphite and carbon fiber at different weight fractions (10-40 wt.%). PBT-based composites were fabricated by the melt mixing process by using a co-rotating twin screw extruder then thermal, mechanical and morphological properties of filled PBT composites was investigated. Weight fraction of carbon fiber (up to 30 wt.%) increases the tensile strength and flexural strength of PBT, but synthetic graphite loading decreases the tensile strength and flexural strength of PBT. The highest in-plane and through-plane thermal conductivity values were obtained as 9.24 for 40 wt.% synthetic graphite filled composite and 3.41 W/mK for 40 wt.% carbon fiber reinforced composite, respectively. Carbon fiber was found to be more effective in increasing the through-plane thermal conductivities than synthetic graphite., Ege University Research Projects Coordination [18-MUH-027], The author(s) received funding from Ege University Research Projects Coordination (Project no: 18-MUH-027).

Objectives Levels of soluble receptor for advanced glycation endproducts (sRAGE) have been linked to several components of the metabolic syndrome. We tested the hypothesis that plasma levels of sRAGE may be associated with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Design and methods We enrolled subjects with definite nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH, n = 40), borderline NASH (n = 8), simple fatty liver (n = 9) and healthy controls (n = 14). Plasma levels of sRAGE were measured by ELISA. Results Concentrations of sRAGE were significantly lower in patients with definite NASH (1080 ± 392 pg/mL, P

Endometrial carcinoma is the most prevalent malignancy of the genital tract. With early diagnosis and treatment, its prognosis is more favorable than other gynecological malignancies. The objective of this case study is to present a very rare condition of a drain site metastasis following the treatment of a low stage endometrial carcinoma. A 63 year old woman was operated for endometrial carcinoma (histological subtype: Endometrioid) FIGO Stage IC (Grade I) and treated with the brachytherapy protocol, postoperatively. During the routine postoperative follow-up exams every three months, she presented with a mass in the right lower abdominal quadrant located at the drain site in the 15th postoperative month. Biopsy sampling of this mass revealed metastatic endometrioid adenocarcinoma. Radiotherapy followed by chemotherapy and eventually surgery was planned forthe resection of the regressed mass. Similar metastatic lesions in gynecological cancers are mostly restricted to high stage ovarian and peritoneal malignancy conditions, and are usually located at trochar port sites and paracentesis puncture points. Nevertheless, this case shows that other early stage malignancies may as well metastasize in a similar fashion and should not be overlooked in the follow-up examinations.

In this report, we describe three adult patients diagnosed with lacrimal sac pyogenic granuloma. The presenting symptoms were acute dacryocystitis, lacrimal mass, and bloody tears. The nasolacrimal drainage pathway was obstructed in all cases. Radiologic evaluation performed in one patient revealed the presence of a well-defined mass in the sac with homogenous contrast uptake. Histopathologic examination revealed capillary proliferation and inflammatory cells in a fibromyxoid stroma. The patients were followed up for 11-23 months after external dacryocystorhinostomy without recurrence of the tumor or nasolacrimal obstruction. Pyogenic granuloma may develop from the lacrimal sac mucosa and may cause bloody epiphora. Such a tumor is visualized as a hemorrhagic mass lesion, and it may not have a negative effect on the outcome of DCR.

Spinal extradural angiolipomas are benign tumors mostly localized in the thoracic region. A 50-year-old woman and a 36-year-old man presented with rare lumbar spinal angiolipoma manifesting as low back pain but without neurological signs. Magnetic resonance imaging showed lumbar extradural tumors at the L4-5 and L1-2 levels, respectively. Each patient underwent complete surgical resection of the epidural tumors. Histological examination revealed characteristics of angiolipomas in both tumors. The symptoms of both patients improved postoperatively and no recurrence of the tumors was found 1 year after surgery.

SUMMARY Intraventricular meningiomas have often been reported; however, literature reveals very few cases localized within foramen of Monro. Herein we report a 57-year-old woman admitted with obstructive hydrocephalus-related symptoms. Strikingly, the lesion was completely calcified in CT and had no marked solid component on MRI. The lesion was completely removed by surgical resection with a transfrontal intraventricular approach. The resected mass was histopathologically diagnosed as meningioma. The patient’s symptoms resolved immediately after the operation.

Hibernomas are rare benign neoplasms derived from the remnants of fetal brown adipose tissue, seen mainly in adults. Most of them are located in areas that normally include brown-fat remnants. Although these tumors are considered benign and malignant transformation has not been reported, they tend to grow into large sizes. If a hibernoma is detected during inguinoscrotal approaches, it should be excised totally because of the risk of growth. To date, recurrence has not been described following complete excision, which is therefore recommended as the treatment of choice. We would like to present an 11-month-old child with hibernoma of the spermatic cord which was surgically treated. One child presenting such a lesion has previously been reported in the literature. Hibernomalar çoğunlukla yetişkinlerde görülen ve fetal kahverengi yağ dokusu kalıntılarından gelişen nadir görülen benign tümörlerdir. Bunların çoğu normalde kahverengi yağ kalıntılarını içeren alanlarda ortaya çıkarlar. Bu tümörlerin benign olarak kabul edilmesi ve malign transformasyonun bildirilmemiş olmasına rağmen, büyük boyutlara ulaşma eğilimindedirler. Herhangi bir inguinoskrotal yaklaşım sırasında tespit edilirlerse, büyüme eğilimlerinden dolayı tamamen eksize edilmelidirler. Bugüne kadar, tam eksizyonu takiben nüks bildirilmemiştir ve bu nedenle tercih edilen tedavi şeklidir. Biz cerrahi olarak tedavi edilen spermatik kord hibernoması olan 11 aylık bir çocuk ile ilgili bir vaka sunmak istiyoruz. Çocuklarda böyle bir lezyonu tarif eden bir olgu daha önce de bildirilmiştir.

Biliary cystadenomas are very uncommon benign tumors. They are very rare occurrences in the gallbladder, and there are only a few case reports in the literature. 1-3 Cystadenomas are more frequently seen among middle-aged women. The clinical presentation varies and depends on the size and location of the cyst. They are unilocular or multilocular cystic tumors that contain septations. Although biliary cystadenomas are of a benign nature, they may recur after excision, and there is a risk of development of cystadenosarcomas. 4-6 Hepatobiliary cystadenomas are most commonly seen in the liver (83%) followed by the extrahepatic biliary system (13%) and gallbladder (0.02%). 7 In this report, we present the sonographic results of a rare case of cystadenoma originating in the gallbladder.

The aim of this study is to investigate the immunoregulatory role of interleukin-12 and interferon-gamma in children with chronic hepatitis B who are treated with interferon-alpha therapy. The patients were divided into 2 groups: Group I included 16 children with naive chronic replicative hepatitis B infection, and Group II included 6 children who are inactive hepatitis B virus (HBV) carriers. Group I received interferon-alpha subcutaneously (10 mU/m(2)/dose), 3 times a week during 4 months. Initial serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels, hepatitis B serologic markers, serum interleukin-12 and interferon-gamma levels were measured. In Group I, laboratory tests were re-evaluated in the second and fourth months. Liver biopsy was performed in all patients and samples were used for tissue interleukin-12 level evaluation and histopathological examination. Hepatic activity index (HAI) and serum interferon-gamma were significantly higher in Group I (P < 0.05). Initial tissue interleukin-12 levels in Group I were low but a significant increase was observed at the fourth month (P < 0.05). While responder patients in Group I had marked elevation of tissue interleukin-12 levels, nonresponders did not reveal considerable changes at the fourth month evaluation. A negative correlation was found between serum HBV-DNA copies and interferon-gamma levels prior to therapy (P < 0.01, r: -0.66). The analysis of cytokine levels with serum transaminases demonstrated a positive correlation between the tissue interleukin-12 levels at the fourth month and serum ALT levels at the beginning and second month of the therapy (r: 0.77, P < 0.05 and r: 0.92, P < 0.05, respectively). This is the first study emphasizing the relationship between tissue cytokine levels and therapy success. Understanding the course of chronic hepatits B in the pediatric population will help us to clarify some debates on the treatment.

Primary sarcoma of the pulmonary artery (PSPA) is an extremely rare tumor of the cardiovascular system. The prognosis is very poor. The clinical symptoms and imaging findings imitate those of pulmonary emboli, causing delays in diagnosis. In this case report, we describe a 73-year-old man with PSPA who initially was admitted with exertional shortness of breath. Transthoracic echocardiographic evaluation revealed 2 masses in the pulmonary artery causing pulmonary hypertension. The patient underwent operation, but he could not be weaned off cardiopulmonary bypass at the end of the operation and died. Pathologic examination of the masses revealed pulmonary sarcoma. Although this patient was admitted to our clinic only 2 weeks after the initial symptoms, he already had distal metastases.

Neuroanatomical structures that form the floor of the third ventricle (FTV) and neighboring tissues are important in the context of third ventriculostomy (TV) procedures. Thorough knowledge of the anatomical and histological organization of the region would be useful in understanding and preventing surgical complications. Taking the third ventricle region as a model, we aimed to simulate TV and make measurements of 23 cadaver brains, as well as perform histological examinations of the third ventricular floor on five cadaver brains. During the endoscopic TV, we examined the degree to which the structures surrounding the FTV were affected by surgical simulation. To make a clinical comparison, the distance between the center of the FTV and the basilar apex was measured on cranial magnetic resonance images (MRIs) of 15 subjects with normal ventricular systems and 15 subjects with moderately enlarged ventricles. Histological examination revealed that the ependynnal cells and arachnoid membrane formed the inner and outer surfaces of the third ventricle floor, respectively, whereas the stroma was made up of glial cells exclusively. This region was gliotic and avascular. When cadaver brains with normal and hydrocephalic ventricles were compared, there were significant differences in the distance between the center of the floor and the basilar apex (P < 0.001). On the basis of our study, the optimal site for TV fenestration and balloon inflation is just anterior to the mamillary bodies to avoid injury to neighboring structures.

BACKGROUND: The significance of medial and lateral opticocarotid recesses and the planum sphenoidale region in skull base pathologies for the transsphenoidal-transplanum approach were evaluated. METHODS: The sphenoid bone block samples were extracted from adult cadavers. Dissections and measurements in the opticocarotid and planum sphenoidale regions were performed in 29 samples using a surgical microscope. For histologic evaluation, oblique sections through the bilateral opticocarotid regions were obtained and examined in eight samples. RESULTS: Optic, carotid prominences, and medial and lateral opticocarotid recesses can be identified as lateral markers intraoperatively to the extent of the exposure. The lateral opticocarotid recess was observed to be prominent in all samples. In all samples, the groove formed by optic and carotid prominences between the medial and lateral opticocarotid recesses was seen. This groove was designated the inter-recess sulcus. In the transsphenoidal-transplanum approach, the area needed for a reliable bone resection was measured as a mean of 237.32 +/- 30.96 mm(2). The mean angle between optic nerves was 115.41 +/- 18.39 degrees. The mean anteroposterior length of the planum sphenoidale was 14.84 +/- 1.52 mm. In histologic sections, collagenous ligaments between the anterior part of cavernous sinus and the adventitia layer of internal carotid artery were more frequent and regular than the inferior part of optic nerve. CONCLUSIONS: The lateral opticocarotid recess is a reliable and persistent indicator for extended transsphenoidal surgery. To approach the opticocarotid region near the internal carotid artery and optic nerve, a careful dissection is needed to minimize surgical injuries to the optic nerve and carotid artery. Other factors determining a reliable bone resection are the anteroposterior length of the planum sphenoidale and the distance and width of the angle between optic nerves. Attention should be given to individual anatomic variations of the region when planning and performing transsphenoidal-transplanum surgery.

Chloroma (myeloid or granulocytic sarcoma) is a rare type of tumour comprising immature granulocytic cells. It generally accompanies acute myeloid leukaemia and, rarely, other myeloproliferative disorders. When presenting as dural-based mass lesions, radiological differential diagnosis includes meningioma, metastasis and lymphoma. There is a limited number of descriptions of chloromas mimicking dural-based masses in the literature. We present preliminary diffusion-weighted MR, perfusion-weighted MR and MR spectroscopy findings of an intracranial myeloid sarcoma.

Pituitary adenomas extend to the suprasellar region via diaphragmal passage and extend to the cavernous sinus via the medial wall (MW). Better understanding of the dynamics of suprasellar and parasellar extension of sellar region pathologies requires microanatomical comparison of diaphragma sellae (DS) and the MW of the cavernous sinus. This study provides the first detailed quantitative assessment between DS and MW of the cavernous sinus. Microanatomical details and histopathological examinations of the DS and MWs of the cavernous sinus were studied in sphenoid block samples obtained from adult cadavers, and the thicknesses of the DS and the MW of the cavernous sinus were measured. Mean thickness of the DS was 216.73 +/- 51.26 microm in the center and 367.33+/-133.66 microm in the periphery. Mean thickness of the lower third of the MW was 161.53+/-53.86 microm and that of the upper third was 278.46+/-162.79 microm. Difference between the thicknesses of the upper and lower thirds was significant (P

Spinal extradural angiolipomas are benign tumors mostly localized in the thoracic region. A 50-year-old woman and a 36-year-old man presented with rare lumbar spinal angiolipoma manifesting as low back pain but without neurological signs. Magnetic resonance imaging showed lumbar extradural tumors at the L4-5 and L1-2 levels, respectively. Each patient underwent complete surgical resection of the epidural tumors. Histological examination revealed characteristics of angiolipomas in both tumors. The symptoms of both patients improved postoperatively and no recurrence of the tumors was found 1 year after surgery.

AIM: To investigate the efficiency of levobupivacaine in treating experimentally induced colitis in rats. METHODS: Colitis was induced by trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid and ethanol in 30 rats under general anesthesia, and 10 rats were used as a sham group. Subsequent to induction of colitis, rats were divided into three groups; budesonide group received 0.1 mg/kg budesonide, levobupivacaine group received 10 mg/kg levobupivacaine and saline group received 1 mL saline solution via rectal route for 7 d. In the sham group, only routine rectal catheterization was performed without use of any material. At the end of 7 d, laparotomy and total colectomy were performed for histopathological examination in all rats and blood samples were drawn for measurement of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha and interleukin (IL)-6 following cardiac puncture. Macroscopic and microscopic evaluations of the specimens were performed by a pathologist blinded to group assignment of the rats. RESULTS: Weight loss (P = 0.016) and macroscopic examination scores (P = 0.001) were significantly higher in saline group than others. Histopathological scoring was comparable between all colitis groups (P = 0.350). There was no significant difference in TNF-alpha levels and IL-6 levels (P = 0.150). CONCLUSION: The significant improvement in macroscopic scores suggests that levobupivacaine may have topical anti-inflammatory effects in an experimental colitis model; however, this finding was not supported by microscopic findings.

To investigate whether serum levels of two soluble forms of extracellular cytokeratin 18 (M30-antigen and M65-antigen) may differentiate nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) from simple steatosis in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).A total of 83 patients with suspected NAFLD and 49 healthy volunteers were investigated. Patients with suspected NAFLD were classified according to their liver histology into four groups: definitive NASH (n=45), borderline NASH (n=24), simple fatty liver (n=9), and normal tissue (n=5). Serum levels of caspase-3 generated cytokeratin-18 fragments (M30-antigen) and total cytokeratin-18 (M65-antigen) were determined by ELISA.Levels of M30-antigen and M65-antigen were significantly higher in patients with definitive NASH compared to the other groups. An abnormal value (121.60 IU/L) of M30-antigen yielded a 60.0% sensitivity and a 97.4% specificity for the diagnosis of NASH. Sensitivity and specificity of an abnormal M65-antigen level (243.82 IU/L) for the diagnosis of NASH were 68.9% and 81.6%, respectively. Among patients with NAFLD, M30-antigen and M65-antigen levels distinguished between advanced fibrosis and early-stage fibrosis with a sensitivity of 64.7% and 70.6%, and a specificity of 77.3% and 71.2%, respectively.Serum levels of M30-antigen and M65-antigen may be of clinical usefulness to identify patients with NASH. Further studies are mandatory to better assess the role of these apoptonecrotic biomarkers in NAFLD pathophysiology.