Role of serum levels of irisin and oxidative stress markers in pregnant women with and without gestational diabetes.

Irisin regulates glucose levels, lipid levels, insulin sensitivity, and low-grade inflammation. Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a common metabolic complication of pregnancy, and is associated with increased rates of perinatal problems. Oxidative stress biomarkers have a role in the pathogenesis of patients with GDM.

Novel Thiazolidinone-Azole Hybrids: Design, Synthesis and Antimycobacterial Activity Studies.

To develop novel antimycobacterial agents, a new series of thiazolidinone-azole hybrids 4a-b, 5a-b and 6-13 were designed and synthesized. Thiazolidin-4-ones (4a-b and 5a-b) were obtained by the reaction of bases and hydrazones (2a-b and 3a-b) with mercaptoacetic acid. 5-Benzylidene derivatives (6-13) were gained by treatment of 5a-b with appropriate benzaldehydes according to condensation.

Trans-nasal-trans-sphenoidal brain injury by a fencing foil: an unusual case report and brief literature review.

In this report, the authors present an unusual case of a 10-year-old child who suffered a severe headache and rhinorrhea that occurred as a result of fencing foil sports injury via trans-nasal-trans-sphenoidal (TNTS) pathway. Following trauma, the child had shown neurological symptoms such a pupil dilatation, change in consciousness and mild hemiparesia. Imaging demonstrated destruction of bone structures including posterior wall of sphenoid sinus and antero-superior part of sella turcica, and also a contusion at right thalamic region.

Miliary tuberculosis: Epidemiologicaland clinical analysis of large-case series from moderate to low tuberculosis endemic Country.

The aim of this study was to determine the clinical features, and outcome of the patients with miliary tuberculosis (TB).We retrospectively evaluated 263 patients (142 male, 121 female, mean age: 44 years, range: 16-89 years) with miliary TB. Criteria for the diagnosis of miliary TB were at least one of the followings in the presence of clinical presentation suggestive of miliary TB such as prolonged fever, night sweats, anorexia, weight loss: radiologic criterion and pathological criterion and/or microbiological criterion; pathological criterion and/or microbiological criterion.

Daclatasvir plus asunaprevir dual therapy for chronic HCV genotype 1b infection: results of Turkish early access program.

Unlabelled:  Background. Daclatasvir and asunaprevir dual therapy is approved for the treatment of HCV genotype 1b infection in several countries.

Aim: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of daclatasvir and asunaprevir dual therapy in Turkish patients.

Route of Delivery Modulates the Efficacy of Mesenchymal Stem Cell Therapy for Myocardial Infarction: A Meta-Analysis of Preclinical Studies and Clinical Trials.

Rationale: Accumulating data support a therapeutic role for mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) therapy; however, there is no consensus on the optimal route of delivery.

Objective: We tested the hypothesis that the route of MSC delivery influences the reduction in infarct size and improvement in left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF).

Methods And Results: We performed a meta-analysis investigating the effect of MSC therapy in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and chronic ischemic cardiomyopathy preclinical studies (58 studies; n=1165 mouse, rat, swine) which revealed a reduction in infarct size and improvement of LVEF in all animal models.

Mortality and clinical outcomes in children treated with antiretroviral therapy in four African vertical programmes during the first decade of paediatric HIV care, 2001-2010.

Objective: To assess mortality and clinical outcomes in children treated with antiretroviral therapy (ART) in four African vertical programmes between 2001 and 2010.

Methods: Cohort analysis of data from HIV-infected children (<15 years old) initiating ART in four sub-Saharan HIV programmes in Kenya, Uganda and Malawi, between December 2001 and December 2010. Rates of mortality, programme attrition and first-line clinico-immunological failure were calculated by age group (<2, 2-4 and 5-14 years), 1 or 2 years after ART initiation, and risk factors were examined.

Pim1 Kinase Overexpression Enhances ckit Cardiac Stem Cell Cardiac Repair Following Myocardial Infarction in Swine.

Background: Pim1 kinase plays an important role in cell division, survival, and commitment of precursor cells towards a myocardial lineage, and overexpression of Pim1 in ckit cardiac stem cells (CSCs) enhances their cardioreparative properties.

Objectives: The authors sought to validate the effect of Pim1-modified CSCs in a translationally relevant large animal preclinical model of myocardial infarction (MI).

Methods: Human cardiac stem cells (hCSCs, n = 10), hckit CSCs overexpressing Pim1 (Pim1; n = 9), or placebo (n = 10) were delivered by intramyocardial injection to immunosuppressed Yorkshire swine (n = 29) 2 weeks after MI.

Gene expression of pro-opiomelanocortin and melanocortin receptors is regulated in the hypothalamus and mesocorticolimbic system following nicotine administration.

Pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC)-derived peptides and their receptors have been shown to play important roles in natural and drug-induced reward and reinforcement. Reward process may involve the regulation of POMC gene expression and the gene expression of POMC-derived peptide receptors. The present study investigated the alterations observed in the transcript levels of POMC, melanocortin 3 (MC3R), melanocortin 4 (MC4R) and mu-opioid receptors (MOR) in the hypothalamus and mesocorticolimbic system during nicotine exposure.

Risk factors and stratification for recurrence of patients with differentiated thyroid cancer, elevated thyroglobulin and negative I-131 whole-body scan, by restaging F-FDG PET/CT.

Objective: In nearly 20%-30% of patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC) relapse and 7% of them die during the next 10 years after initial diagnosis. In 10%-30% of patients with DTC after ablation therapy during the follow-up show a negative iodine-131 (I) whole-body screening test (I WBS) and increased serum thyroglobulin (Tg) level. Loss of ability of DTC metastatic lesions to trap I is associated with pure survival and often aggressive disease.

Quality of life and related factors among chronic hepatitis B-infected patients: a multi-center study, Turkey.

Background: The aim of this study was to assess health-related quality of life (HRQOL) among chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients in Turkey and to study related factors.

Methods: This multicenter study was carried out between January 01 and April 15, 2015 in Turkey in 57 centers. Adults were enrolled and studied in three groups.

Stimulatory Effects of Mesenchymal Stem Cells on cKit+ Cardiac Stem Cells Are Mediated by SDF1/CXCR4 and SCF/cKit Signaling Pathways.

Rationale: Culture-expanded cells originating from cardiac tissue that express the cell surface receptor cKit are undergoing clinical testing as a cell source for heart failure and congenital heart disease. Although accumulating data support that mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) enhance the efficacy of cardiac cKit(+) cells (CSCs), the underlying mechanism for this synergistic effect remains incompletely understood.

Objective: To test the hypothesis that MSCs stimulate endogenous CSCs to proliferate, migrate, and differentiate via the SDF1/CXCR4 and stem cell factor/cKit pathways.

A case of central nervous system infection due to Cladophialophora bantiana.

Background: Cladophialophora bantiana is a melanised mold with a pronounced tropism for the central nervous system, almost exclusively causing human brain abscesses.

Case Report: We describe a case of cerebral infection by this fungus in an otherwise healthy 28-year-old coal-miner. Environmental occurrence, route of entry, and incubation period of this fungus are unknown, but our case is informative in that the first symptoms occurred about eight weeks after known traumatic inoculation.

GSNOR Deficiency Enhances In Situ Skeletal Muscle Strength, Fatigue Resistance, and RyR1 S-Nitrosylation Without Impacting Mitochondrial Content and Activity.

Aim: Nitric oxide (NO) plays important, but incompletely defined roles in skeletal muscle. NO exerts its regulatory effects partly though S-nitrosylation, which is balanced by denitrosylation by enzymes such as S-nitrosoglutathione reductase (GSNOR), whose functions in skeletal muscle remain to be fully deciphered.

Results: GSNOR null (GSNOR) tibialis anterior (TA) muscles showed normal growth and were stronger and more fatigue resistant than controls in situ.

A Case of Early detected Multidrug-resistant Infection after Liver Transplantation.

Unlabelled: Invasive bacterial infections have become the leading cause of morbidity and mortality among solid organ transplant recipients (SOTRs). can cause a serious infection in SOTRs. Multidrug-resistant (MDR-) represents a major problem in liver transplant recipients.

Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Cardiology.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) accounts for more deaths globally than any other single disease. There are on average 1.5 million episodes of myocardial infarction (heart attack) each year in the United States alone with roughly one-third resulting in death.

Role of alkaline phosphatase intestine-isomerase in acute mesenteric ischemia diagnosis.

Background: The aim of the present study was to investigate the diagnostic value of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) intestine-isomerase, plasma lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and D-dimer levels in acute mesenteric ischemia.

Methods: Thirty Wistar rats were divided into 5 groups of 6 rats each. In Group 1, blood samples were obtained to determine normal parameter levels.

Pediatric Access and Continuity of HIV Care Before the Start of Antiretroviral Therapy in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Background: The number of HIV-infected children starting antiretroviral treatment (ART) has increased in resource-limited settings during the past decades. However, there are still few published data on the characteristics of pediatric patients at program enrolment and on the dynamics of dropping out before the start of ART.

Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort study among HIV-infected pediatric patients (age, 5-14 years) not yet started on ART enrolled in 4 HIV sub-Saharan African programs.

Are serum quantitative hepatitis b surface antigen levels, liver histopathology and viral loads related in chronic hepatitis b-infected patients?

Background/aims: Fluctuations in hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA and alanine transaminase (ALT) levels complicate assessment of the phases of chronic hepatitis B (CHB) infection and correct identification of the inactive HBV carrier state. In this study, we aimed to examine the role of HBsAg quantification (qHBsAg) in the identification of the phases of HBV and to evaluate its association with liver histopathology.

Patients And Methods: Inactive HBV carriers (IC) (n = 104) and CHB patients (n = 100) were enrolled in the study.

Entrapment of laurel lipase in chitosan hydrogel beads.

Laurel seed lipase was entrapped within chitosan beads with ionotropic gelatin method using tripolyphosphate (TPP) as multivalent covalent counter ion. Immobilization yield was 78%. First, optimum immobilization conditions were determined, and morphology of chitosan beads was characterized by scanning electron microscopy.