Which method is the most effective for preventing postoperative infection in spinal surgery?

Background: Several methods have been used to reduce the infection rate in spinal surgeries with instrumentation.

Purpose: Which method is the most effective for preventing postoperative infection?

Study Design: Basic science, animal model.

Objective: In the present study, the efficiency of antibiotic prophylaxis, silver-plated screws, and local rifamycin application to the surgical site was investigated in an experimental animal model.

Microfluidics and nanoparticles based amperometric biosensor for the detection of cyanobacteria (Planktothrix agardhii NIVA-CYA 116) DNA.

Some of the cyanobacteria produce protease inhibitor oligopeptides such as cyanopeptolins and cause drinking water contamination; hence, their detection has great importance to monitor the well-being of water sources that is used for human consumption. In the current study, a fast and sensitive nucleic acid biosensor assay has been described where cyanopeptolin coding region of one of the cyanobacteria (Planktothrix agardhii NIVA-CYA 116) genome has been used as target for monitoring of the fresh water resources. A biochip that has two sets of Au electrode arrays, each consist of shared reference/counter electrodes and 3 working electrodes has been used for the assay.

Synthesis, X-ray structural and thermal analysis of a novel copper compound containing dissymmetric independent 5- and 6-coordinate CuL(H2O)n (n = 2, 3) units and hydrogen bond bridges.

The synthesis, thermogravimetric and X-ray structure analysis of a highly unusual copper compound prepared from a chiral tridentate Schiff base ligand is reported. The title compound [CuL(H(2)O(2)]. CuL(H(2)O(3)].

Limy bile syndrome complicated with primary hyperparathyroidism.

Limy bile is a relatively rare condition, in which a radiopaque material is visible in the gallbladder on plain radiography or computerized tomography. Cases of complicated hyperparathyroidism are extremely rare. We report a patient with right upper quadrant and epigastric pain and extremity weakness in whom abdominal tomography showed limy bile in the gallbladder and laboratory values showed high levels of serum calcium and parathormone.

Living related donor liver transplantation with atrio-caval anastomosis of inferior vena cava graft stored in deep-freeze for budd-Chiari syndrome.

We have previously reported our experience in inferior vena cava resection and reconstruction techniques during liver transplantation for Budd-Chiari syndrome. Herein, we present on a case that demonstrates the importance of experience in complex vascular reconstruction techniques for living donor liver transplantation. A 15-year-old boy was scheduled for living donor liver transplantation for Budd-Chiari syndrome.

A new application of monolithic supports: the separation of viruses from one another.

The emergence of next-generation "deep" sequencing has enabled the study of virus populations with much higher resolutions. This new tool increases the possibility of observing mixed infections caused by combinations of plant viruses, which are likely to occur more frequently than previously thought. The biological impact of co-infecting viruses on their host has yet to be determined and fully understood, and the first step towards reaching this goal is the separation and purification of individual species.

Sleep Disturbances in Essential Tremor and Parkinson Disease: A Polysomnographic Study.

Objective: Sleep problems are a common non-motor complication of Parkinson disease (PD), and patients with essential tremor (ET) share a number of motor and non-motor features of PD. To clarify the relationship between these disorders, we evaluated the sleep problems in patients with ET and PD using assessment scales and objective polysomnographic (PSG) testing.

Method: Twenty-one consecutive patients with PD, 16 with ET, and 14 healthy subjects participated in this study and were compared in terms of sleep related complaints, final sleep related diagnosis, and polysomnographic features.

Gastroprotective effects of CoQ10 on ethanol-induced acute gastric lesions.

Introduction: Alcohol consumption is frequently associated with gastric mucosal lesions. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of Coenzyme-Q10 (CoQ10) supplementation on the ethanol-induced gastric mucosal damage in a rat model.

Material And Method: Sixty-four female wistar albino rats were randomly divided into 8 groups (n = 8).

An interesting cause of hyperandrogenemic hirsutism.

Mild clinical signs of hyperandrogenism such as hirsutism may appear during the menopausal transition as part of the normal aging process, but the development of frank virilization suggests a specific source of androgen excess. We report a case of a 68-year-old woman with signs of virilization that had started 6 months before. Clinical analyses revealed high levels of serum testosterone for a postmenopausal woman.

ADAPTIVE ROBUST VARIABLE SELECTION.

Heavy-tailed high-dimensional data are commonly encountered in various scientific fields and pose great challenges to modern statistical analysis. A natural procedure to address this problem is to use penalized quantile regression with weighted -penalty, called weighted robust Lasso (WR-Lasso), in which weights are introduced to ameliorate the bias problem induced by the -penalty. In the ultra-high dimensional setting, where the dimensionality can grow exponentially with the sample size, we investigate the model selection oracle property and establish the asymptotic normality of the WR-Lasso.

Cystain C and neuropeptid Y levels in brain tissues after experimental subarachnoid hemorrhage.

The aim of this study was to investigate the changes in the levels of cystatin C, which protects neurodegeneration in the central nervous system with the inhibition of cysteine protease and by inducing autophagy in the pathogenesis of cerebral vasospasm and levels of vasoconstrictive neuropeptid Y (NPY) in the brain tissue homogenates of rat model of subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). Three experimental groups were used: Day 2 and Day 7 groups after SAH, and also a control group. There were seven Wistar albino rats in each group.

Coexistence of cervico-thoracic extradural en-plaque meningioma with multiple intracranial meningiomas.

Meningioma is one of the most common tumors in the spinal cord. Extradural and en-plaque variety of meningioma occur less frequently. A 47-year-old woman is presented with radiculopathy signs.

Apoptosis and necrosis in the circumventricular organs after experimental subarachnoid hemorrhage as detected with annexin V and caspase 3 immunostaining.

Objectives: The circumventricular organs (CVOs) are essential for most autonomic and endocrine functions. Trauma and bleeding can affect their function. The aim of this study was to investigate apoptosis and necrosis in CVOs in the early period after experimental subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) in rats, using annexin V affinity and caspase 3 immunostaining.

Cecum perforation due to biliary stent migration.

The endoscopic placement of biliary stents for benign and malignant biliary disease has been performed for over a decade. Several complications of stent placement have been described such as pancreatitis, hemorrhage, cholangitis, and perforation. Migration of biliary stents is a rare event, which can cause severe complications such as gastrointestinal tract perforation.

Anthropometric aspects of hand morphology in relation to sex and to body mass in a Turkish population sample.

The hand is not only one of the principal structures related to motor function but is also essential for tactile sensations. The genetic endowment of an individual plays an important role in the development and differentiation of the hands. Certain features of hands are known to be sexually dimorphic and body morphology may also affect hand morphology.

The diagnostic value of C-reactive protein in bacterial translocation in experimental biliary obstruction.

Background: Many experimental studies have verified that obstructive jaundice (OJ) causes bacterial translocation (BT).

Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess to whether C-Reactive Protein (CRP) can be used to detect bacterial translocation induced by biliary obstruction.

Material And Methods: Twenty rats were divided into two groups containing 10 rats each: sham-operated controls and the obstructive jaundice (OJ) group.

Pretreatment with mineralocorticoid receptor blocker reduces intestinal injury induced by ischemia and reperfusion: involvement of inhibition of inflammatory response, oxidative stress, nuclear factor κB, and inducible nitric oxide synthase.

Background: Spironolactone (Sp), a mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist, protects against the ischemia reperfusion (IR) injury of retina, kidney, heart, and brain. We aimed to investigate the effects of Sp on intestinal IR injury.

Methods: Male Wistar rats were randomly divided into: (1) a sham control group; (2) an IR control group, subjected to 30 min ischemia and 3 h reperfusion; (3) a group treated with Sp (20 mg/kg) for 3 d before the IR; and (4) a sham-operated control group treated with Sp (20 mg/kg).

Novel adenosine deaminase 2 mutations in a child with a fatal vasculopathy.

Unlabelled: Adenosine deaminase 2 (ADA2) deficiency due to CECR1 mutations is a recently defined disorder that involves systemic inflammation and vasculopathy often associated with polyarteritis nodosa. We report on a 5-year-old girl with a severe vasculopathy who carried two novel mutations in CECR1.

Conclusion: Identification of CECR1 mutations in patients with vasculopathy may lead to earlier diagnosis of ADA2 deficiency.

The comparison of traditional and modified harvesting techniques of left ınternal mammary artery regarding endothelin-1/2/3 expression and free flow capacity.

Aim: We have conducted this study to seek and observe visual clues through immunohistochemical staining for differences in Et-1/2/3 expression and the free-flow capacity measuring the blood flow through grafts, in the left internal mammary artery grafts prepared either with clipped or nonclipped techniques.

Methods: A total of 40 consecutive patients with a diagnosis of coronary artery disease who would benefit from elective coronary artery bypass graft surgery were randomised into two groups consisting 20 patients each. Left internal mammary artery was harvested by a traditional clipped (control group) and a modified nonclipped (study group) technique in each of the groups.

Sexual dysfunction in infertile couples: evaluation and treatment of infertility.

Objective: To evaluate the diagnostic and the predictive value of Arizona Sexual Experience Scale among primary infertile couples regarding sexual dysfunction.

Methods: The cross-sectional and prospective pre, post study comprising primary infertile patients was carried out at Bulent Ecevit University Hospital, Zonguldak, Turkey. Fifty consecutive primary infertile couples not treated previously were investigated between 2003 and 2007 for the presence of sexual dysfunction by a psychiatrist.

Unilateral ovarian agenesis and clear cell type epithelioid leiomyoma of uterus mimicking ovarian malignancy.

A case of unilateral absent ovary together with clear cell type epithelioid leiomyoma of uterus mimicking ovarian malignancy discovered during laparotomy is presented. Unilateral absence of an ovary is an extremely rare finding. Although the exact pathophysiological mechanism is not known, it could result from a defect in embryological development or asymptomatic torsion of ovary.

Ischemia modified albumin increase indicating cardiac damage after experimental subarachnoid hemorrhage.

Background: Cardiac complications are often developed after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) and may cause sudden death of the patient. There are reports in the literature addressing ischemia modified albumin (IMA) as an early and useful marker in the diagnosis of ischemic heart events. The aim of this study is to evaluate serum IMA by using the albumin cobalt binding (ACB) test in the first, second, and seventh days of experimental SAH in rats.

Ninety-day morbidity in patients undergoing primary TKA with discontinuation of warfarin and bridging with LMWH.

We asked whether patients under long-term warfarin and managed with current guidelines regarding bridging therapy have a higher complications rate within ninety days following total knee arthroplasty. We retrospectively identified 38 patients under long-term warfarin. They were match-paired with 76 control patients.