The plasma galectin-3 level has high specificity and sensitivity for predicting postoperative atrial fibrillation after coronary artery bypass surgery.

Objective: Postoperative new-onset atrial fibrillation (POAF) commonly occurs after coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery. This study aimed to determine the utility of the preoperative netrin-1 and galectin-3 levels for predicting POAF following CABG surgery, as well as that of postoperative serial measurement for assessing these markers' patterns of expression.

Patients And Methods: This prospective cohort study included 50 patients that underwent CABG surgery.

Distal transradial versus conventional transradial access in acute coronary syndrome.

Objective: Distal transradial access (TRA) has been recently introduced as an alternative access site for coronary angiography (CAG). Both procedures can be performed in cardiology clinics by interventional cardiologists. Although distal TRA is considered to be more difficult as it requires artery puncture and experienced cardiologists, it seems to be more advantageous because of the limited risk of arterial occlusion.

The Effects of Cigarette Smoking on the Tp-e Interval, Tp-e/QT Ratio and Tp-e/QTc Ratio.

Background: Cigarette smoking increases the risk of sudden cardiac death. Smoking may predispose individuals to ventricular fibrillation and sudden cardiac death by altering ventricular repolarization and stimulating sympathetic nervous system activity.

Objectives: The aim of the study was to investigate the instantaneous effects of smoking on ventricular repolarization.

S100A1 as a Potential Diagnostic Biomarker for Assessing Cardiotoxicity and Implications for the Chemotherapy of Certain Cancers.

This study examined the value of blood marker S100A1 in detecting cardiotoxicity induced by chemotherapy agents; trastuzumab and lapatinib, in normal rat heart. The rats were divided into three groups: control (n = 8, no treatment), T (n = 8, one time ip treatment with 10 mg/kg trastuzumab) and L (n = 8, oral treatment with 100 mg/kg/day lapatinib for 7 days). The activities of oxidative stress parameters Malondialdehyde (MDA), Superoxide dismutase (SOD), Catalase (CAT) and Glutathione (GSH) were measured from the extracted cardiac tissues.

Severity of coronary artery disease and echocardiographic parameters of ventricular diastolic function.

Objective: The objective of this study was to determine the relation between the severity of the coronary artery disease (CAD) and left ventricular (LV) diastolic function in patient with stable CAD and normal LV ejection fraction.

Methods: Sixty patients with stable CAD were included in the study. All angiographic variables pertinent to SYNTAX Score (SS) and Gensini score (GS) calculation were computed by two experienced interventional cardiologists.

Is obesity a possible modifier of periodontal disease as a chronic inflammatory process? A case-control study.

Background And Objective: This cross-sectional case-control study was conducted to provide a comparative evaluation of clinical periodontal measurements, together with serum levels of certain bioactive peptides and inflammatory cytokines, in relation to obesity. For this purpose, clinical periodontal measurements and the levels of serum leptin, adiponectin, interleukin-6 (IL-6), C-reactive protein and soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 of obese female individuals and their nonobese counterparts were compared.

Material And Methods: Sixty obese (body mass index (BMI) > 30) and 31 nonobese (BMI < 30) female subjects were recruited for the present study.

ST elevation in inferior derivation, coronary ectasia, and slow coronary flow following ceftriaxone use.

A 24-year-old male patient presented with acute coronary syndrome with ST elevation following an allergic reaction to ceftriaxone. A coronary angiogram revealed ectasia and slow coronary flow in the right coronary artery, whereas the left coronary system was found to be normal. The patient was transferred to the coronary intensive care unit and given steroids, antihistamines, acetylsalicylic acid, clopidogrel, low–molecular weight heparin, and diltiazem.

The frequency of periodontal infrabony defects on panoramic radiographs of an adult population seeking dental care.

By means of panoramic radiography (PR), the frequency and location of interproximal infrabony defects (IPIDs), their relationship with age, gender and remaining teeth were studied in 416 individuals seeking dental care. The presence/absence of IPIDs and the defect depths were evaluated on mesial and distal surfaces of a total of 8,964 teeth. One or more infrabony defects were recorded on 23% of the PRs (96 individuals, 152 IPIDs).

Multidiciplinary treatment of complicated subgingivally fractured permanent central incisors: two case reports.

Subgingival crown fractures with pulp exposure in permanent teeth present both endodontic and restorative problems with unfavorable prognosis. Numerous restorative techniques such as resin composite restorations with and without pins, crowns and reattachment of the fractured dental fragment could be listed as the treatment options. There are several successful cases in the literature where advantages of less microleakage and proper gingival biocompatibility in cases with reattachment of the tooth fragment were reported.

QT dispersion during hypobaric hypoxia.

Objective: Hypoxia is one of the major concerns in aviation. Clinical hypoxia has been shown to increase QT dispersion (QTd). We aimed to examine QTd during hypobaric chamber training to observe the effect of hypobaric hypoxia on QT dispersion.

Tumor necrosis factor-alpha-converting enzyme (TACE) levels in periodontal diseases.

Tumor necrosis factor-alpha-converting enzyme (TACE) is a metalloprotease which can shed several cytokines from the cell membrane, including receptor activator of NF-kappaB ligand (RANKL). This study aimed to investigate the hypothesis that TACE would be elevated in the gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) of persons with periodontitis. Total TACE amounts in GCF were higher in persons with chronic and aggressive periodontitis than in those with gingivitis or in healthy persons.

Differential expression of receptor activator of nuclear factor-kappaB ligand and osteoprotegerin mRNA in periodontal diseases.

Background And Objective: Receptor activator of nuclear factor-kappaB ligand (RANKL) is responsible for the induction of osteoclastogenesis and bone resorption, whereas its decoy receptor, osteoprotegerin, can directly block this action. Because this dyad of cytokines is crucial for regulating the bone remodelling process, imbalances in their expression may cause a switch from the physiological state to enhanced bone resorption or formation. This study investigated the mRNA expression of RANKL and osteoprotegerin, as well as their relative ratio, in the gingival tissues of patients with various forms of periodontal diseases.

Acute effect of methylphenidate on QT interval duration and dispersion in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

Among childhood psychiatric disorders, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is of greatest interest to practitioners. Methylphenidate (MPH) is a drug that is widely used in the treatment of children in whom ADHD has been diagnosed. Although this treatment has been used for years, its effects on the heart remain the subject of debate.

Acute effects of smoking on right ventricular function. A tissue Doppler imaging study on healthy subjects.

Background: Smoking is a risk factor for cardiovascular mortality and morbidity. Besides chronic effects, it has unfavourable effects in the acute period. Although there are plenty of data regarding its effect on left ventricle functions, the effect of cigarette smoking on right ventricular function in the acute period is unknown.

Gingival crevicular fluid levels of RANKL and OPG in periodontal diseases: implications of their relative ratio.

Aim: Receptor activator of NF-kappaB ligand (RANKL) and osteoprotegerin (OPG) are a system of molecules that regulate bone resorption. This study aims to compare the levels of RANKL, OPG and their relative ratio in gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) of healthy and periodontal disease subjects.

Material And Methods: GCF was obtained from healthy (n=21), gingivitis (n=22), chronic periodontitis (n=28), generalized aggressive periodontitis (n=25) and chronic periodontitis subjects under immunosuppressant therapy (n=11).

Demineralized freeze-dried bone allograft and platelet-rich plasma vs platelet-rich plasma alone in infrabony defects: a clinical and radiographic evaluation.

The objective of this work is to compare the clinical and radiographic outcomes of demineralized freeze-dried bone allograft (DFDBA)/platelet-rich plasma (PRP) combination with PRP alone for the treatment of infrabony defects 18 months after surgery and to examine the influence of radiographic defect angle on the clinical and radiographic outcomes. Twenty-eight infrabony defects were treated with DFDBA/PRP combination or PRP alone. Clinical parameters and radiographic measurements were compared at baseline and 18 months.

Gingival crevicular fluid matrix metalloproteinase-13 levels and molecular forms in various types of periodontal diseases.

Background: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the levels, molecular forms and activation degree of matrix metalloproteinase-13 (MMP-13) in the gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) of patients with periodontal diseases and to correlate these findings with periodontal clinical parameters.

Methods: Sixty one subjects participated in this study as healthy (n = 18), gingivitis (n = 17), aggressive periodontitis (AgP; n = 15) and chronic periodontitis (CP; n = 11) groups. Clinical measurements and GCF samples were obtained from each subject.

Relationship between IL-1A polymorphisms and gingival overgrowth in renal transplant recipients receiving Cyclosporin A.

Aim: Levels of interleukin-1alpha (IL-1alpha) are elevated in periodontal inflammation. IL-1A gene polymorphisms are associated with inflammatory diseases. This study aimed to investigate IL-1A gene polymorphism in Cyclosporin A (CsA)-treated renal transplant patients and investigate the association between this polymorphism and gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) levels of several cytokines.

Bisoprolol improves echocardiographic parameters of left ventricular diastolic function in patients with systemic hypertension.

Left ventricular (LV) diastolic dysfunction (LVD) is a common complication secondary to hypertension. It has been reported that bisoprolol is effective in reducing blood pressure and has beneficial cardiac effects in patients with hypertension. However, its effect on LV diastolic function has not been studied in detail.

Live three-dimensional transthoracic echocardiographic assessment of anomalous origin of left coronary artery from the pulmonary artery.

We describe live three-dimensional transthoracic echocardiographic (3DTTE) findings in a 52-year-old female who had previously undergone an aortopulmonary tunnel operation for anomalous origin of the left coronary artery (ACA) from the pulmonary artery. Three-dimensional transthoracic echocardiography clearly delineated the origin of the ACA from the posterolateral aspect of the main pulmonary artery just above the pulmonary valve, the surgically created tunnel, as well as a small defect in the tunnel near the aortic end communicating with the pulmonary artery.

Transesophageal and transpharyngeal ultrasound demonstration of reversed diastolic flow in aortic arch branches and neck vessels in severe aortic regurgitation.

In the current study, we describe an adult patient with torrential aortic regurgitation due to an aortic dissection flap interfering with aortic cusp motion, in whom a transesophageal echocardiogram with the probe positioned in the upper esophagus and transpharyngeal ultrasound examination demonstrated prominent reversed flow throughout diastole in the left subclavian, left vertebral, left common carotid, and left internal carotid arteries. Another unique finding was the demonstration of aortic valve leaflets held in the fully opened position in diastole by the dissection flap as it prolapsed into the left ventricular outflow tract, dramatically documenting the mechanism of torrential aortic regurgitation in this patient.

Acellular dermal matrix allograft used to gain attached gingiva in a case of epidermolysis bullosa.

Background: Epidermolysis bullosa (EB) is an acquired disease or inherited as either autosomal dominant or recessive with an incidence of 1/50,000. The prominent clinical characteristic of the disease is the development of bullae or vesicles in mucosa or skin in response to minor trauma.

Aim: A female patient with a dystrophic type of EB had been put in a maintenance regimen after completion of the initial phase of periodontal therapy and followed for 7 years.