Relationships between Interleukin 18 -607 C/A and -137 G/C, Osteopontin -9250 C/T Genetic Polymorphisms and Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome in Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery.

Systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) is one of the most significant complications after on-pump heart surgery procedures. High cytokine levels have been shown after open-heart surgeries and a genetic predisposition seems to be an important underlying modulatory characteristic for SIRS. To investigate the association between interleukin 18 -607 C/A, interleukin 18 -137 G/C and osteopontin 9250 C/T genetic polymorphisms and SIRS in on-pump CABG patients.

Aflatoxin exposure in viral hepatitis patients in Turkey.

Background/aims: Hepatocellular carcinoma is the fifth most common cancer and a major public health problem worldwide. Differences in distribution of hepatocellular carcinoma incidence are probably due to different levels of exposure to hepatocellular carcinoma risk factors: chronic infections with hepatitis B virus (HBV) and aflatoxin exposure in developing countries, and smoking and alcohol abuse in developed countries. Aflatoxin is one of the most important of the environmental toxins that contribute to the pathogenesis of hepatocellular carcinoma, especially in the regions where dietary foodstuffs (peanuts, corn, Brazil nuts, pistachios, spices and figs) are highly contaminated.

Assessment of homocysteine, neopterin and nitric oxide levels in Behçet's disease.

Background: Behçet's disease is a multisystemic immunoinflammatory disease with a wide variety of clinical manifestations, whereas recurrent aphthous stomatitis is a local oral disease. The aim of this study was to examine the distribution of homocysteine levels in patients with active Behçet's disease, possible association of homocysteine with nitric oxide and neopterin levels, and to characterize the differences between patients with Behçet's disease and those with recurrent aphthous stomatitis in terms of these parameters compared with healthy controls.

Methods: A total of 23 patients with active Behçet's disease, 25 patients with recurrent aphthous stomatitis as positive controls, and 21 healthy subjects were included in this study.

The effect of ursodeoxycholic acid treatment on epidermal growth factor in patients with bile reflux gastritis.

Background/aims: Study was performed to evaluate the effect of ursodeoxychlic acid treatment on epidermal growth factor, which is secreted in response to mucosal injury and is also a factor in the protection and healing of gastric mucosal injury in patients with bile reflux gastritis following cholecystectomy.

Methods: Thirty-one dyspeptic patients who had previously undergone cholecystectomy were included in the study. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy was performed before and after a six week ursodeoxychlic acid treatment period and a biopsy was taken.

Effects of the metals on dihydropteridine reductase activity.

Metals are the oldest toxins known to human. Particularly, occupational and environmental exposure to aluminium, lead, mercury, cadmium, and manganese cause serious health problems by interaction with biological systems. Cellular targets of these metals are mostly specific biochemical processes (enzymes) and/or membranes of cells and organelles.