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OBJECTIVE: This study aims to investigate potential differences in the presence of Transforming Growth Factor-Beta 1 (TGF-ß1) between the vein walls of patients with varicocele and those of healthy individuals. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The study comprised a total of 40 participants, divided into two groups. The control group (Group 1) consisted of 20 patients who underwent coronary bypass surgery, while the varicocele group (Group 2) included 20 patients scheduled for varicocelectomy. The cytoplasmic and nuclear staining patterns of TGF-ß1 immunohistochemistry were assessed in tissue samples under light microscopy, identifying any differences in TGF-ß1 presence between varicocele patient vein walls and normal (saphenous) veins. RESULTS: The varicocele group demonstrated lower nuclear and cytoplasmic TGF-ß1 staining rates compared to the control group. After controlling for the independent factor of age, significantly lower nuclear and cytoplasmic staining was still observed in the varicocele group. CONCLUSIONS: This study is the first of its kind to compare TGF-ß1 staining in the vein walls of varicocele patients and healthy individuals. Previous studies focusing on varicose veins reported elevated TGF-ß1 expression. Contrarily, our study observed lower TGF-ß1 expression in varicocele patient veins, marking a unique contribution to the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: Human papillomavirus (HPV), which is known to play a very important role in genital area (vulva, vagina, and cervix) cancers in women, is responsible for almost all cervical cancers. However, a significant proportion of cervical carcinomas (approximately 7%) is HPV-negative. Therefore, there are still two important questions to be answered: 1. Why is HPV Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) not found in all cervical carcinomas? 2. Are HPV-DNA-negative cervical cancers a specific subgroup of cervical cancers with different biological behavior (worse prognosis)? In this article, we aimed to evaluate the clinicopathological characteristics and survival of patients with confirmed HPV-negative tumors in order to answer these two questions. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 97 patients who underwent HPV-DNA testing and received a histological diagnosis of cervical cancer were included in the study. 14 HPV-DNA negative and 83 HPV-DNA positive cervical carcinoma patients were detected. Demographic profiles, clinicopathological characteristics, progression-free, and overall survival of all patients were analyzed. RESULTS: Women with HPV-negative tumors were diagnosed at an older age range (p=0.05), and their demographic data other than age range were similar to HPV-positive tumors. P16 staining pattern was not observed in any of the HPV-negative tumors (p=0.001), and a positive P53 staining pattern was detected in 35.7% of the HPV-negative tumors. Although disease-free survival (PFS) (p=0.224) and overall survival (OS) (p=0.219) were worse in the HPV-negative patient group, this difference was not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: HPV-negative cervical cancers do not have a poor prognosis unlike their counterparts in other anatomical regions where HPV-associated tumors are present. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: In this study, demographic, clinical, and laboratory data of patients aged 65 and over who are followed on mechanical ventilators due to COVID-19 in intensive care clinics will be useful in terms of strategies to be developed in the fight against COVID-19 and other infectious agents. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Our study included 299 patients aged 65 years and older, who were not chronically ill, and who were followed up on mechanical ventilators due to COVID-19 in intensive care clinics in the period between 2020 and 2022. Our study was designed as a retrospective cross-sectional study. The demographic characteristics of the patients included in the study, their complaints during hospitalization, the time between the beginning of the complaint and the admission to the hospital, the vital signs at the time of admission to the hospital, the lung computed tomography findings during hospitalization, and the treatments given were examined. RESULTS: 55.9% of all patients were males, and the mean age was 75.45±7.47 years. While there was no significant difference in terms of mean age between the groups of patients with/without a higher risk of mortality, there was a significant difference in gender (p=0.025). There was a statistically significant difference between the COVID-19 intensive care (p=0.001) and renal failure (p=0.014) and mortality groups. The mean nutric score, Procalcitonin (PCT), Lactate Dehydrogenase (LDH), Blood Urea Nitrogen (BUN), Phosphorus, and lactate values, which are important parameters, were statistically higher in the group with a higher risk of mortality (p<0.001). In addition, there was a statistically significant difference in terms of sepsis, neuromuscular blocker (Nmb), vasopressor, and intubation between the groups of patients with/without a higher risk of mortality (p<0.001). In the group with high mortality, 34.2% (n=55) had plasmapheresis treatment, and 14.2% had hemodiafiltration treatment (p<0.001). According to the results of the multivariate logistic regression model in determining the factors associated with a higher risk of mortality, those who were males (p=0.001), those with kidney failure (p<0.001), those with organ failure (p=0.006), increased in alanine aminotransferase (ALT) values (p=0.019), those with sedation (p=0.001) and those with vasopressors (p<0.001) were found to have an increased risk of mortality. CONCLUSIONS: We think that our study is valuable in terms of determining the most appropriate treatment strategies by following the patients in terms of parameters that are significant in the findings during their follow-up period in the Intensive Care Unit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: Sentinel lymph node biopsy refers to an innovative and minimalist surgical approach that has been introduced to reduce both complications and morbidity. A definitive answer to the question of whether lymphadenectomy is performed for staging or curative purposes in endometrial cancer has not yet been found. The aim of this study is to compare patients who underwent sentinel lymph node biopsy with indocyanine green and those who underwent laparoscopic complete surgical staging in terms of survival. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 182 patients was included in the study. The patients were divided into two groups according to the lymph node sample type. The two groups were compared in terms of oncological outcomes. RESULTS: 92 patients underwent sentinel lymph node mapping (SLNM cohort) and 90 patients underwent extensive pelvic and paraaortic lymphadenectomy (SCL cohort). Considering only patients with negative lymph nodes, the Sentinel cohort was associated with a reduced DFS and OS (p=0.008 and p=0.005, respectively). This difference may be due to the longer follow-up times of patients with comprehensive lymph node sampling. On the other hand, There was no difference in survival in lymph node positive cases. CONCLUSIONS: Sentinel lymph node dissection has no negative effect on survival in lymph node positive patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: Glucocorticoid-induced osteonecrosis is a serious debilitating health problem. In the present study, we investigated the effects of alpha-lipoic acid on glucocorticoid-induced osteonecrosis in rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 40 male Wistar albino rats were equally assigned to 4 groups as control, methylprednisolone acetate (MPA), alpha-lipoic acid (ALA), and methylprednisolone acetate with alpha-lipoic acid (MPA+ALA). The animals in MPA group subcutaneously received 15 mg/kg/week for 2 weeks, whereas 100 mg/kg/day alpha-lipoic acid was intraperitoneal administered for 4 weeks to ALA group. The MPA+ALA group was subjected to both treatments in same doses. Osteonecrosis was confirmed and graded histologically. The serum concentrations of glucose, total cholesterol, lowand high-density lipoprotein, triglyceride, as well as the total oxidant and antioxidant status, oxidative stress index, prothrombin time and activated partial thromboplastin time were evaluated. Also, lipid peroxidation and DNA damage were immunohistochemically assessed in the bone. RESULTS: Osteonecrotic lesions were narrower in the MPA+ALA group than in the MPA group (p<0.05). As compared to the controls, the biochemical parameters in MPA and MPA+ALA groups were significantly increased (p<0.001). The oxidative stress index was significantly higher in the groups with MPA than the controls (p=0.002), but the animals treated with ALA alongside MPA displayed lesser scores than the ones injected with solely MPA (p=0.03). The administration of MPA elevated lipid peroxidation and DNA damage, which were successfully alleviated by ALA. CONCLUSIONS: Alpha-lipoic acid may be suggested to be a protective supplement in glucocorticoid-induced osteonecrosis in rats. The antioxidant capacity of alpha-lipoic acid may involve its beneficial effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: Shoulder pain is one of the most common musculoskeletal disorders in general population. Although shoulder pain is completely resolved within one year after treatment in more patients, persistent pain is observed in remaining patients. Neuropathic pain may play a role in persistent shoulder pain in some patients. The aim of the study was to investigate the neuropathic pain component in patients with shoulder pain. PATIENTS AND METHODS: 49 patients with shoulder pain were enrolled in this study. The Pain-Detect questionnaire was used to determine the presence of neuropathic pain. Visual analogue scale (VAS) was used to evaluate shoulder pain. Quick Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (Quick-Dash) was used to determine to measure physical function and symptoms. RESULTS: The neuropathic pain component in patients with shoulder pain was 20% and possible neuropathic pain was 19% according to Pain-Detect questionnaire. The mean VAS score, Quick-Dash score and symptom duration were significantly higher in the neuropathic pain group. CONCLUSIONS: The patients with shoulder pain have a neuropathic pain component. We suggest that neuropathic pain should be assessed when prescribing treatment programs in patients with shoulder pain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: Relapsed/refractory AML cases are much more resistant to chemotherapy. Venetoclax is a highly sensitive BCL-2 inhibitor. It was aimed to evaluate the effects of venetoclax therapy on real-world R/R AML survival outcomes, the effects of the cytogenetic characteristics of the patients and previous clinical applications on treatment response, and venetoclax treatment toxicity. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The study included patients who only received a venetoclax-based salvage on R/R AML patients from Turkey. The study included a total of 62 patients from 6 different centers in Turkey. Response to 2 cycles of venetoclax treatment was assessed by bone marrow blast rate. The demographic data, cytogenetic characteristics, AML type, MDS type, response rates and overall survival of the patients after venetoclax combination treatment were assessed. Median age of the patients was 65 (19-85). Mean number of prior treatments was 2.67 ±1.75. RESULTS: 13 patients (21%) had a history of allogenic stem cell transplantation. 58 (93.5%) had received HMA therapy before venetoclax. 36 patients (58.1%) had de-novo AML, and 25 (40.3%) previously had MDS. Treatment response was evaluated as complete remission (n = 21, 33.9%), partial response (n = 17, 27.4%), and treatment failure (n = 24, 38.7%). Patients in the TF group were significantly more likely to have poor cytogenetic and to have received allogeneic transplants. The mean estimated overall survival after the venetoclax treatment was 9.13 ± 0.75 months. CONCLUSIONS: The study population consisted of a group of patients who had relapsed or primary refractory disease with poor prognosis, despite numerous rounds of chemotherapy. It is our belief that the high response rates obtained with the combination of venetoclax/HMA, and having obtained positive results with poor risk patients, indicated a promising perspective for R/R AML patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]