Effects of angiotensin-converting enzyme gene polymorphism on the left-ventricular function and mass in patients with acromegaly.

In this study we have investigated the contribution of the ACE genotype to the development of left-ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) and systolic and diastolic dysfunctions in acromegalic patients. The study group consisted of 30 acromegalic patients (21 women and 9 men, age: 37.9 +/- 10.

Gastric perforation presenting as bilateral scrotal pneumatoceles.

Although processus vaginalis is patent in the majority of newborn infants, the expression of an intraabdominal pathology such as gastrointestinal perforation or bleeding in the scrotum is very rare. In a large percentage of neonates with the gastrointestinal perforation, pneumoperitoneum is absent. In any case, it may not be detected in early radiographs.

Congenital primary hypoparathyroidism presented with extensive cutaneous and subcutaneous calcifications.

Congenital primary hypoparathyroidism is very rare in infancy. It may be isolated or associated with other developmental defects, arising from the third and fourth pharyngeal pouches such as DiGeorge syndrome. Initial symptom of isolated primary hypoparathyroidism in an infant is usually generalized convulsion due to hypocalcemia.

Plasma big-endothelin levels, cardiac autonomic neuropathy, and cardiac functions in patients with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.

Background: The alteration of endothelin (ET) levels in diabetic patients with cardiac autonomic neuropathy (CAN) has not been studied extensively and its correlation with cardiac function parameters has not been discussed.

Hypothesis: The aim of the present study was to discuss the correlation between the degree of cardiac autonomic neuropathy, plasma big-ET levels, and cardiac functions in diabetic patients who were clinically free of cardiovascular disease.

Methods: Twenty subjects (32.

Controlled oxidation of calf thymus DNA to produce standard samples for 8-oxodeoxyguanosine analysis; effects of freeze-drying, storage and hydrolysis conditions.

Calf thymus DNA containing defined levels of 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-oxodG) was prepared by treatment with visible light in the presence of photosensitiser Ro 19-8022. The DNA was checked for stability; after freeze-drying, the amount of 8-oxodG did not increase during 6 weeks' storage at room temperature. However, freeze-drying itself can introduce additional oxidative damage.

A radiological method on the classification of human mandibular condyles.

A radiological quantitative method applied in the classification of 210 mandibular condyles from 105 male and female subjects, aged 18-62 with no temporomandibular disorders has been taken up in this study. Through coronal sections, types of condyles were first determined by computer tomography (CT) per anterio-posterior aspects and then divided into four main groups described as flat, convex, angled and round. Then, using the parameters, every condyle type was divided into three subgroups.

Analysis of oxidative DNA damage and HPRT mutations in humans after hyperbaric oxygen treatment.

DNA damage induced by reactive oxygen species (ROS) seems to play an important role in the induction of mutations and cancer. We have recently shown that hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) treatment of volunteers (i.e.

Measurement of 8-Oxo-deoxyguanosine in Lymphocytes, Cultured Cells, and Tissue Samples by HPLC with Electrochemical Detection.

8-Oxoguanine is one of the most studied base oxidation products found in DNA. It has potential biological significance, because if present in DNA that is replicating, it can lead to incorporation of adenine rather than cytosine in the daughter strand. Thus it is considered as a premutagenic lesion.

Effects of combination of insulin and acarbose compared with insulin and gliclazide in type 2 diabetic patients.

In this prospective study we aimed to compare insulin plus acarbose with insulin plus gliclazide with respect to their effect on insulin requirement, lipid profiles and body mass index (BMI) while achieving good glycemic control. Forty patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus who were on conventional insulin therapy (subcutaneous insulin therapy consisting of regular and NPH insulin, two times a day) were included in the study. They were randomized to double blind treatment with insulin in combination with gliclazide or acarbose for 6 months.

Effect of endogenous subclinical hyperthyroidism on bone metabolism and bone mineral density in premenopausal women.

In this cross-sectional study, we evaluated 15 premenopausal women to elucidate whether bone turnover is increased and bone mineral density is reduced due to endogenous subclinical hyperthyroidism. Each patient had normal free thyroxine (FT4) and free triiodothyronine (FT3) levels associated with a stable suppression (<0.1 mU/L) of serum thyrotropin (TSH) levels during a period ranging between 6 and 11 months.

Frequency of severe hypoglycaemia in type 1 and type 2 diabetes during conventional insulin therapy.

To determine the frequency of severe hypoglycaemia during conventional insulin therapy in juvenile-onset and adult-onset type 1 and in type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM), we retrospectively analysed the medical records of 165 Turkish diabetic patients who have been treated with conventional insulin. Patients were divided into 3 subgroups with respect to the type of diabetes: 33 had juvenile-onset Type 1 DM, 18 had adult-onset type 1 DM, and 114 had type 2 DM. The diabetic subgroups were found to be comparable with regard to mean frequency of severe hypoglycaemia (juvenile-onset type 1 DM: 0.

Helicobacter pylori associated gastric pathology in patients with type II diabetes mellitus and its relationship with gastric emptying: the Ankara study.

Helicobacter pylori (HP) is the most common cause of nonerosive nonspecific gastritis. Gastric and duadenal ulcer both are found to be associated with HP infection. Another consequence of HP infection is that it may progress to chronic atrophic gastritis which is a well recognized risk factor for adenocarcinoma of the stomach.

Apoptotic effects of heparin on lymphoblasts, neutrophils, and mononuclear cells: results of a preliminary in vitro study.

In this study the apoptotic effects of heparin on lymphoblasts, neutrophils, and mononuclear cells were evaluated by flow cytometry for detection of sub-G1 peak, in vitro. Ten children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) at diagnosis (Group I), six children with ALL at relapse (Group II), and 10 healthy children (controls) were included in this study. Lymphoblasts in ALL patients, and neutrophils and mononuclear cells in controls, were incubated in increasing heparin concentrations (0, 5, 10, 20 U/ml).

Adrenal incidentaloma: report of 33 cases.

Background And Objectives: The aim of our study was to review the imaging characteristics, endocrinologic screening and histologic diagnoses of adrenal incidentaloma cases encountered in our institute.

Methods: Thirty-three adrenal incidentaloma cases that had been evaluated in Hacettepe University Hospital between 1985 and 1995 were reviewed retrospectively. Adrenal masses were discovered incidentally by abdominal ultrasonography (USG) and/or computed tomography (CT).

Measuring oxidative damage to DNA; HPLC and the comet assay compared.

Depending on the analytical method employed estimates of background levels of base oxidation in human DNA vary over orders of magnitude. It is now realised that oxidation of guanine in vitro can result in serious overestimation of the nucleoside by HPLC (with electrochemical detection). We have modified procedures of isolation, hydrolysis and storage of DNA with the aim of eliminating this artefact.

Amputation rate in 147 Turkish patients with diabetic foot: the Hacettepe University Hospital experience.

To determine the lower extremity amputation rate and the risk factors for amputation, we analysed the medical records of 147 Turkish diabetic patients who have been referred to the clinic with diabetic foot. Eleven patients (7.5%) had type 1, and 136 patients (92.

Multiple fungal brain abscess in a child with acute myeloblastic leukemia.

Fungal brain abscess is rarely cured in childhood. The mortality rate is higher than 95% in immunocompromised patients, even if antifungal agent and surgery are used. A 5-year-old boy with acute myeloblastic leukemia (AML) (M2 according to FAB classification) and multiple candidal brain abscesses is discussed.

Oxidative DNA damage measured in human lymphocytes: large differences between sexes and between countries, and correlations with heart disease mortality rates.

The 'antioxidant hypothesis' proposes that vitamin C, vitamin E, carotenoids, and other antioxidants occurring in fruit and vegetables afford protection against heart disease and cancer by preventing oxidative damage to lipids and to DNA, respectively. To test elements of this hypothesis, we have measured blood levels of dietary antioxidants, and 8-oxodeoxyguanosine (8-oxo-dG) concentrations in lymphocyte DNA, in healthy men and women from five European countries: France, Ireland, The Netherlands, Spain, and the U.K.

Plasma soluble interleukin-2 receptor levels in patients with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura.

Soluble interleukin-2 receptor (slL-2R) was measured in the plasma of 31 patients with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) and 22 normal controls. When thrombocytopenia persisted longer than 6 months, the diagnosis of chronic ITP was made. Twenty patients had acute ITP, 11 patients had chronic ITP, and all patients received high-dose methylprednisolone (HDMP) (30 mg/kg/d for 3 days, 20 mg/kg/d for 4 days).

Absorption of iron from grape-molasses and ferrous sulfate: a comparative study in normal subjects and subjects with iron deficiency anemia.

We compared the absorption of iron from grape molasses (GM) and ferrous sulfate (FS) using the post-absorptive serum iron increase method (non-radioactive). The study involved 56 subjects, aged 6-36 months. Group I consisted of 30 subjects with iron deficiency anemia (IDA) and group II, 26 non-anemic subjects.

Problems in the measurement of 8-oxoguanine in human DNA. Report of a workshop, DNA oxidation, held in Aberdeen, UK, 19-21 January, 1997.

Oxidative DNA damage is widely believed to play a role in cancer aetiology. It is therefore important to be able to assess it, both as an index of cancer risk, and in experiments to test agents with a potential to reduce oxidative damage, such as dietary antioxidants. However, there is an alarming discordance in estimates of concentrations of oxidative damage in human DNA, largely attributable to the kind of method used to measure it.