Measuring the performance of an artificial intelligence-based robot that classifies blood tubes and performs quality control in terms of preanalytical errors: A preliminary study.

Objectives: Artificial intelligence-based robotic systems are increasingly used in medical laboratories. This study aimed to test the performance of KANKA (Labenko), a stand-alone, artificial intelligence-based robot that performs sorting and preanalytical quality control of blood tubes.

Methods: KANKA is designed to perform preanalytical quality control with respect to error control and preanalytical sorting of blood tubes.

The effect of post-reperfusion levosimendan in an experimental intestinal ischemia-reperfusion model.

Background: Levosimendan has been reported to have a positive effect on ischemia-reperfusion injury. Herein, we aimed to evaluate the effects of levosimendan applied after reperfusion in an experimental intestinal injury-reperfusion (IR) model.

Methods: Twenty-one Wistar-albino male rats were separated into three groups: Sham group (n = 7): solely superior mesenteric artery (SMA) was dissected after laparotomy; intestinal ischemia-reperfusion group (IIR, n = 7): SMA was clamped for 60 min and unclamped for 120 min to cause ischemia-reperfusion; IIR + levosimendan group (IIR + L, n = 7): levosimendan was administered in ischemia-reperfusion model.

Protective and Therapeutic Effects of Bovine Amniotic Fluids Collected in Different Trimesters on the Epidural Fibrosis After Experimental Laminectomy in Rats.

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate the protective and therapeutic effects of bovine amniotic fluid (BAF) on the inhibition of epidural fibrosis (EF) after experimental laminectomy.

Methods: Forty female Sprague Dawley rats were used. The amniotic fluids were collected from each trimester of a pregnant cow.

Blood neurofilament light chain and thrombospondin-1 levels of patients with autism spectrum disorder.

Background: Neurofilaments are intermediary filaments associated with neurodegenerative processes. Thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1) is a biological marker playing a role in synaptogenesis. This study aimed to investigate serum neurofilament light chain (NFL), and TSP1 levels of patients with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) compared to typically developing (TD) children.

The effect of an artificial intelligence algorithm on chest X-ray interpretation of radiology residents.

Objective: Chest X-rays are the most commonly performed diagnostic examinations. An artificial intelligence (AI) system that evaluates the images fast and accurately help reducing workflow and management of the patients. An automated assistant may reduce the time of interpretation in daily practice.

The effect of oral contraceptive use on sympatic nerve activity in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome.

Objective: High sympathetic nerve activity, is thought to be a cardiovascular risk factor, has been shown to correlate with circulating high testosterone levels. However its role on the pathophysiology of the polycystic ovarian syndrome has not been clearly established. The aim of our study is to compare the sympathetic nerve activity between polycystic ovarian syndrome and control group and to determine whether the use of oral contraceptives for contraception has any effect on this activity.

Low Complement C1q/TNF-related Protein-13 Levels are Associated with Childhood Obesity But not Binge Eating Disorder.

Objective: C1q/tumor necrosis factor-related proteins (CTRPs) are recently described members of the adipokine family. CTRP-13, a new member of this family, has been shown to increase insulin sensitivity and had an anorexigenic effect on food intake in experimental studies. The aim was to investigate serum CTRP-13 levels in children with obesity, and its relationship with other adipokines, metabolic parameters, or binge eating disorder (BED).

Inflammation and endothelial dysfunction in pediatric migraine patients.

Background: Inflammation and endothelial dysfunction are the suggested underlying mechanisms in migraine. Pentraxins, C-reactive protein, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio, platelet to lymphocyte ratio are good indicators of inflammation. Alterations in insulin levels and insulin sensitivity may trigger endothelial dysfunction.

Altered regional grey matter volume and appetite-related hormone levels in adolescent obesity with or without binge-eating disorder.

Purpose: Binge eating disorder (BED) is characterized by frequent and persistent overeating episodes of binge eating without compensatory behaviors. The aim was to evaluate regional gray matter volume (GMV) abnormalities and appetite-regulating hormone levels (NPY and Leptin) in obese subjects either with or without BED compared to healthy controls (HC).

Methods: Twenty-six obese patients with BED, 25 obese patients without BED and 27 healthy subjects as an age-matched control group with neuroimaging and appetite-regulating hormone levels were found eligible for regional GMV abnormalities.

The comparison of analytical performances of Mindray CL-1000i and Beckman Coulter Access II Troponin I methods in the light of recent guidelines and the quality requirements.

Background: The results of cardiac troponin I (cTnI) methods used in the diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) are highly variable. In this study, it was aimed to compare the analytical performance of the Mindray CL-series TnI method with the Beckman Coulter-Access II AccuTnI+3 method.

Methods: Analytical performance and method comparison experiments for cTnI measurement with Mindray CL-1000i and Beckman Coulter-Access II instruments were with the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) documents EP15-A3 and EP9-A3.

Effects of sugammadex on ischemia reperfusion in a rat extremity model.

Background: The hypothesis of our study is that sugammadex has protective efficacy against ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury in rats.

Methods: Our study included 28 male Wistar Albino rats. The rats were assigned to four groups.

Effect of Blood Cell Subtypes Lysis on Routine Biochemical Tests.

Background: The aim of this study is to establish the contribution of blood cells subtypes on hemolysis.

Methods: Separated blood cell subtype suspensions prepared with blood from 10 volunteers were serially diluted to obtain different concentrations of cell suspensions. The cells were fully lysed and cell hemolysates were added (1:20) to aliquots of serum pool.

Effects of Dexmedetomidine on Renal Ischaemia Reperfusion Injury in Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Rats.

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of dexmedetomidine before and after ischaemia in diabetic rat kidney ischaemia reperfusion (IR) injury in the experimental diabetic rat model.

Methods: Data belonging to 35 rats weighing between 250 and 300 g were analysed. Diabetes mellitus (DM) was induced using streptozotocin.

Exposure to environmental tobacco smoke by healthy children aged below five (Preliminary study).

Aim: Children are commonly affected by environmental tobacco smoke. The presence of exposure can be deduced from urinary urine kotinine/creatinine ratio and history. The aim of this study was to investigate passive smoking in healthy children between one-month and five year old, and to determine the adverse effects of passive smoking on child health.

Statins reduce testicular and ocular VEGF: A potential compromise to microcirculation.

Unlabelled: Microcirculation has great importance in eye and testicular tissue and is necessary to have adequate and appropriate amount of angiogenesis. It is known that high levels of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) trigger uncontrolled angiogenesis, whereas inadequate VEGF can lead to decreased tissue perfusion and oxygenation. The aim of this study was to investigate effects of VEGF in testicular and ocular tissues in both non-diabetic and diabetic rats treated by statin.

Evaluation and comparison of Abbott Jaffe and enzymatic creatinine methods: Could the old method meet the new requirements?

Background: The aim of this study is to evaluate and compare the analytical performance characteristics of the two creatinine methods based on the Jaffe and enzymatic methods.

Methods: Two original creatinine methods, Jaffe and enzymatic, were evaluated on Architect c16000 automated analyzer via limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantitation (LOQ), linearity, intra-assay and inter-assay precision, and comparability in serum and urine samples. The method comparison and bias estimation using patient samples according to CLSI guideline were performed on 230 serum and 141 urine samples by analyzing on the same auto-analyzer.

Exercise increases leptin levels correlated with IGF-1 in hippocampus and prefrontal cortex of adolescent male and female rats.

It is known that regular aerobic exercise has positive effects on hippocampus and prefrontal cortex. We have previously have been able to demonstrate that aerobic exercise increased IGF-1 in hippocampus. Leptin, which is associated with cognitive functions, is also involved in fat metabolism and stimulates energy consumption.

Artificial Neural Network Approach in Laboratory Test Reporting: Learning Algorithms.

Objectives: In the field of laboratory medicine, minimizing errors and establishing standardization is only possible by predefined processes. The aim of this study was to build an experimental decision algorithm model open to improvement that would efficiently and rapidly evaluate the results of biochemical tests with critical values by evaluating multiple factors concurrently.

Methods: The experimental model was built by Weka software (Weka, Waikato, New Zealand) based on the artificial neural network method.

Effectiveness of sugammadex for cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury.

Cerebral ischemia may cause permanent brain damage and behavioral dysfunction. The efficacy and mechanisms of pharmacological treatments administered immediately after cerebral damage are not fully known. Sugammadex is a licensed medication.

FGF-23 levels are associated with vascular calcification, but not with atherosclerosis, in hemodialysis patients.

Purpose: High fibroblast growth factor-23 (FGF-23) levels are associated with mortality and cardiovascular events in patients with chronic kidney disease. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to investigate the relationship between plasma FGF-23 levels and coronary artery calcification and carotid artery intima-media thickness (CA-IMT) in hemodialysis (HD) patients.

Methods: In this cross-sectional study, plasma intact FGF-23 levels were measured in 229 patients who underwent coronary artery calcification scores (CACs) determined by multi-slice computerized tomography and CA-IMT assessed by using high-resolution color Doppler ultrasonography.

S1000A12, Chitotriosidase, and Resolvin D1 as Potential Biomarkers of Familial Mediterranean Fever.

Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) is an auto-inflammatory disease characterised by periodic inflammatory attacks. We investigated changes in monocyte-granulocyte derived S10012A and chitotriosidase in both the attack and silent period of FMF for better estimation of inflammation. Endogenous resolvin was determined for utility to restrict inflammation.

Effects of anaerobic training on paraoxonase-1 enzyme (PON1) activities of high density lipoprotein subgroups and its relationship with PON1-Q192R phenotype.

Aim: Paraoxonase-1 (PON1) is an antiatherosclerotic enzyme located on high-density lipoprotein (HDL). The effects of anaerobic exercise on PON1 activity are unknown. Here we investigated the effects of anaerobic judo training on three different activities of same PON1 enzyme (TDPON1), including basal PON1, salt-stimulated PON1 (SPON1), and arylesterase (AE) activities, of serum, HDL, and HDL subgroups (HDLs; HDL and its subgroups) and its relationship with PON1-Q192R phenotype (PON1P).

The effects of oxytocin on cognitive defect caused by chronic restraint stress applied to adolescent rats and on hippocampal VEGF and BDNF levels.

Background: Because brain development continues during adolescence, the effects of chronic stress on hippocampal changes that occur during that period are permanent. Oxytocin, which is synthesized in the hypothalamus and has many receptors in brain regions, including the hippocampus, may affect learning-memory. This study aimed to investigate chronic restraint stress on hippocampal functions, and hippocampal vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels in adolescent male and female rats and the role of oxytocin in these effects.

A multicenter nationwide reference intervals study for common biochemical analytes in Turkey using Abbott analyzers.

Background: A nationwide multicenter study was organized to establish reference intervals (RIs) in the Turkish population for 25 commonly tested biochemical analytes and to explore sources of variation in reference values, including regionality.

Methods: Blood samples were collected nationwide in 28 laboratories from the seven regions (≥400 samples/region, 3066 in all). The sera were collectively analyzed in Uludag University in Bursa using Abbott reagents and analyzer.