STAT3 signaling controls satellite cell expansion and skeletal muscle repair.

The progressive loss of muscle regenerative capacity with age or disease results in part from a decline in the number and function of satellite cells, the direct cellular contributors to muscle repair. However, little is known about the molecular effectors underlying satellite cell impairment and depletion. Elevated levels of inflammatory cytokines, including interleukin-6 (IL-6), are associated with both age-related and muscle-wasting conditions.

JAK/STAT3 pathway inhibition blocks skeletal muscle wasting downstream of IL-6 and in experimental cancer cachexia.

Cachexia, the metabolic dysregulation leading to sustained loss of muscle and adipose tissue, is a devastating complication of cancer and other chronic diseases. Interleukin-6 and related cytokines are associated with muscle wasting in clinical and experimental cachexia, although the mechanisms by which they might induce muscle wasting are unknown. One pathway activated strongly by IL-6 family ligands is the JAK/STAT3 pathway, the function of which has not been evaluated in regulation of skeletal muscle mass.

Inaccuracy of home sphygmomanometers: a perspective from clinical practice.

Objective: Home blood pressure monitoring requires a precise blood pressure measurement technique and an accurate sphygmomanometer. The oscillometric sphygmomanometers have some drawbacks including in accuracy. The aims of this study were to assess the inaccuracy of home sphygmomanometers using a method first proposed in 2009 and to compare validated devices with other devices.

Validation of the Omron M3 Intellisense (HEM-7051-E) upper arm blood pressure monitor, for self-measurement, according to the European Society of Hypertension International Protocol revision 2010 in a stage 3-5 chronic kidney disease population.

Background: Encouragement of home blood pressure (BP) monitoring has a great potential to improve hypertension control rates. The purpose of this study was to test validation of the Omron M3 Intellisense (HEM-7051-E) upper arm BP measuring monitor for self-measurement according to the European Society of Hypertension International Protocol revision 2010 (ESH-IP2) in stage 3-5 chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients.

Methods: 66 patients having CKD stage 3-5 were included in the study.

Validation of the Medisana MTP Plus upper arm blood pressure monitor, for self-measurement, according to the European Society of Hypertension International Protocol revision 2010.

Objectives: Standard validation protocols are objective guides for healthcare providers, physicians, and patients. The purpose of this study was to test validation of the Medisana MTP Plus upper arm blood pressure (BP) measuring monitor for self-measurement according to the European Society of Hypertension International Protocol (ESH-IP2) in adults.

Methods: The Medisana MTP Plus monitor is an automated and oscillometric upper arm device for home BP monitoring.

Acute inhibition of myostatin-family proteins preserves skeletal muscle in mouse models of cancer cachexia.

Cachexia, progressive loss of fat and muscle mass despite adequate nutrition, is a devastating complication of cancer associated with poor quality of life and increased mortality. Myostatin is a potent tonic muscle growth inhibitor. We tested how myostatin inhibition might influence cancer cachexia using genetic and pharmacological approaches.

Accuracy of sphygmomanometers at pharmacies.

Background/aims: The aims of this study are to assess the reasons of using sphygmomanometers at pharmacies and to evaluate their accuracy.

Methods: 135 devices (118 aneroid, 1 mercury, and 16 automated) from 125 pharmacies (located in Samsun city center) were included in the study. A non-randomized, cross-sectional design was used for the study protocol which had two parts: assessment of devices and a questionnaire about the pharmacy and present sphygmomanometer(s).

Home sphygmomanometers: validation versus accuracy.

Objective: The validation and accuracy of sphygmomanometers are important issues in the home sphygmomanometer market and in clinical practice. The aims of this study are to assess the frequency of validated home sphygmomanometers and to evaluate the relationship between the validation and accuracy of the devices.

Methods: Eight hundred and ninety-six home sphygmomanometers were brought by individuals to the University Hospital Hypertension Clinic for this study, and 870 (97%) of the devices were in adequate working condition and suitable for analysis.

Self-measurement of blood pressure at home: is it reliable?

Self-measurement of blood pressure (BP) at home is more common than 10 years ago and encouraged by current guidelines to increase patient adherence to treatment and reach the goal of target BP. The aims of this study are to evaluate the accuracy of home sphygmomanometers and to investigate behavior/knowledge of the sphygmomanometer owners. A campaign was planned to determine the accuracy of home sphygmomanometers in 2006.

Does the localisation of tumour at stage I endometrial endometrioid adenocarcinoma have an impact on invasion of the tumour and individualisation of the surgical procedure?

Objective: To detect whether the localisation of the tumour has an impact on the dissemination of the tumour and whether or not surgical procedures should be individualized according to the localisation of the tumour.

Material Method: 106 clinically surgically stage I endometrial endometrioid carcinoma cases treated multi-institutionally at Gulhane Military Medical Academy (GATA) and Dr. Zekai Tahir Burak (ZTB) Women's Health Education and Research Hospital Gynecologic Oncology Units in the last five years were evaluated retrospectively.

Intron 1 inversion mutation among Turkish hemophilia A patients.

Hemophilia A is an X-linked bleeding disorder resulting mostly from heterogeneous point mutations in the factor VIII (F8) gene. Small/large gene deletions, insertions and gross gene rearrangements underlie the molecular pathogenesis of the disease. Two large inversion mutations due to intrachromosomal recombinations between inverted repeats found in intronic sequences and upstream regions of the F8 gene result in severe hemophilia A.

Magnesium infusion reduces perioperative pain.

Background And Objective: Magnesium has antinociceptive effects in animal and human models of pain. These effects are primarily based on the regulation of calcium influx into the cell. The aim of this study was to determine whether perioperative infusion of magnesium would reduce postoperative pain and anxiety.

Comparative methods of repairing left ventricular aneurysms.

Between 1 March 1992 and 31 June 1996, we enrolled 72 patients with left ventricular aneurysms in a prospective, nonrandomized study to compare--by study of cardiac indices, single-plane ejection fractions, and nuclear ventriculograms--the effects of classical aneurysmectomy (group 1, n = 36) with those of endoaneurysmorrhaphy (group 2, n = 36). Preoperative and postoperative cardiac index measurements were, respectively, 1.96 +/- 0.

Diagnostic problems in a case with mucometrocolpos, polydactyly, congenital heart disease, and skeletal dysplasia.

Mucometrocolpos is the distention of the uterus and vagina caused by obstruction to the drainage of genital secretions. Although most cases of mucometrocolpos are sporadic, it may be part of an autosomal recessive condition, known as McKusick-Kaufman syndrome (MKS), including postaxial polydactyly and congenital heart disease as main findings. The diagnosis may be difficult when the presence of additional findings creates an overlap with other syndromes.

Malignant degeneration of mature cystic teratomas.

Malignant transformation of benign cystic teratoma is rare and the most common malignancy is squamous cell carcinoma. The diagnosis is rarely made preoperatively and the prognosis is usually poor. We report 4 cases with dermoid cysts showing malignant transformation, 3 with squamous carcinoma and 1 with adenocarcinoma.

Laparoscopy for adhesion prevention following myomectomy.

Objective: To evaluate adhesion formation after classic abdominal myomectomy and the role of early, second-look laparoscopic adhesiolysis in the management of post-myomectomic pelvic adhesions in a prospective study.

Method: Forty-eight patients with infertility, recurrent abortion or symptomatic myoma underwent second-look laparoscopy (SLL) 8 days after abdominal myomectomy. The degree of adnexal adhesions were scored according to the American Fertility Society Classification and were lyzed laparoscopically.

Massive ovarian oedema: a nonneoplastic adnexal mass mistaken for a neoplasm.

Massive ovarian oedema (MOO) is an unusual clinical entity occurring in teenage girls and young women, and is thought to result from periodic and intermittent torsion of the ovarian pedicle. It is usually mistaken for an ovarian neoplasm and treated by oophorectomy. A case that underwent more radical surgery than is necessary is presented.