Fatty acid composition and chemotaxonomic evaluation of species of Stachys.

The fatty acid composition of the seed oil of 23 Stachys taxa was analysed by GC/MS. The main compounds were found to be linoleic (27.1-64.

Gamma knife radiosurgery for cranial neurocytomas.

Gamma-knife surgery may be an effective alternative for treatment of central neurocytomas owing to its relative safety compared with conventional radiotherapy. In this paper we present results of gamma-knife treatment (GKS) of residual or recurrent neurocytomas. Twenty-two patients (14 female, 8 male) with recurrent or residual neurocytomas who underwent GKS were included.

Ischemic stroke history predicts increased cardiovascular mortality in chronic heart failure.

Objective: To investigate comorbidities that predict cardiac mortality and re-hospitalization in chronic heart failure (CHF) patients.

Methods: Five hundred eighty patients (mean age 63 ± 13 years, 373 male, 207 female, mean ejection fraction (EF) 26 ± 9%) with mild, moderate or severe CHF [NYHA class II-IV] were included in this prospective observational study. We evaluated all comorbidities such as history of ischemic stroke, coronary artery disease, peripheral arterial disease, chronic obstructive lung disease, hypertension, diabetes mellitus and chronic kidney disease in CHF patients who were hospitalized due to decompensated heart failure in Kocaeli University, Faculty of Medicine's Hospital between January 2003 and July 2009.

Paramedic-performed Focused Assessment with Sonography in Trauma (FAST) in the emergency department.

Background: Our objective was to evaluate the accuracy of paramedic-performed Focused Assessment with Sonography in Trauma (PFAST) for detection of free fluid in patients admitted to the Emergency Department (ED) following trauma.

Methods: After four hours of didactic and four hours of hands-on training, four paramedics prospectively evaluated trauma patients. Our gold standard was the official radiologist reports of ultrasonography and computerized abdominal tomography (CAT).

Comparison of endoscopic transnasal and transoral approaches to the craniovertebral junction.

Objective: The study compared the endoscopic anatomy of the transnasal and transoral approaches to the craniovertebral junction (CVJ).

Methods: Structures examined and compared with both the straight and angled telescopes in 10 cadaveric specimens included the pharyngeal walls and adjacent musculature, resected anterior arch of the axis and odontoid, cruciform, axial, and apical ligaments, clival and dural openings, and the intradural exposure.

Results: There is considerable overlap at the pharyngeal level in the structures that can be viewed by the transoral and transnasal routes.

Do we routinely need cranial computed tomography for mild head injuries in Turkey?

The objectives of this study were to determine the role of clinical parameters in detecting intracranial injury and to find out whether cranial computed tomography (CT) is routinely needed for mild head injury (MHI) in Turkey. This retrospective study was conducted by reviewing the records of patients with MHI who underwent cranial CT in our emergency department. We carried out multiple logistic regression analysis, and odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals were calculated by using SPSS 15.

The role of cobalt-albumin binding analysis in the diagnosis of experimental abdominal compartment syndrome in rabbits.

Background: The purpose of our study was to examine the role of cobalt-albumin binding assay (CABA) for the early diagnosis of abdominal compartment syndrome (ACS).

Methods: Twenty-four anesthetized and ventilated rabbits were randomly assigned to four groups as 1 to 4, with each group comprised of six animals. Intraabdominal hypertension of 25 mmHg was induced for 15, 30, 45, and 60 minutes by insufflation in the four groups, respectively.

Relationship of angiogenic potential with clinical features in cranial meningiomas: a corneal angiogenesis study.

Background: Intracranial meningiomas constitute approximately one fourth of all primary intracranial tumors. The invention of cranial angiographic techniques has led to the recognition of the angiogenic potential of meningiomas, which has been the subject of extensive research.

Objective: To test the relationship between the angiogenetic potential of intracranial meningiomas and clinical/prognostic features such as World Health Organization (WHO) grade, peritumoral edema, tumor border shape, and recurrence using rat corneal angiogenesis assay.

Association between documented coronary artery disease and urinary albumin, albumin to creatinine ratio.

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate whether the amount of urinary albumin concentration (UAC) or urinary albumin to creatinine ratio (UACR) is more strongly associated with angiographically documented coronary artery disease (CAD).

Material/methods: A total of 199 consecutive patients [11 9(60%) male, 80 (40%) female, mean age =57±10] undergoing diagnostic coronary angiography were included in the study. Significant coronary artery disease was defined as a stenosis equal to or above 50% in the main coronary artery or in one of the other branches.

Triiodothyronine and brain natriuretic peptide: similar long-term prognostic values for chronic heart failure.

Although low levels of free triiodothyronine and high levels of brain natriuretic peptide have been shown as independent predictors of death in chronic heart failure patients, few studies have compared their prognostic values. The aim of this prospective study was to measure free triiodothyronine and brain natriuretic peptide levels and to compare their prognostic values among such patients.A total of 334 patients (mean age, 62 ± 13 yr; 218 men) with ischemic and nonischemic dilated cardiomyopathy were included in the study.

High angiogenic potential in an in vivo rat corneal model is associated with shorter disease-free survival in low-grade oligodendrogliomas.

This study aimed to examine the association between time to tumor recurrence, angiogenic potential and tumor contrast-enhancement. Tumor samples were taken from 20 patients with low-grade oligodendroglioma and examined for their angiogenic potential using an in vivo rat corneal model of angiogenesis. Patients were evaluated for tumor contrast enhancement prior to surgical excision using MRI and they were followed for tumor recurrence.

Crystal structure of the human symplekin-Ssu72-CTD phosphopeptide complex.

Symplekin (Pta1 in yeast) is a scaffold in the large protein complex that is required for 3'-end cleavage and polyadenylation of eukaryotic messenger RNA precursors (pre-mRNAs); it also participates in transcription initiation and termination by RNA polymerase II (Pol II). Symplekin mediates interactions between many different proteins in this machinery, although the molecular basis for its function is not known. Here we report the crystal structure at 2.

Expression of platelet-derived growth factor ligand and receptor in cerebral arteriovenous and cavernous malformations.

The aim of this study was to investigate the expression of platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) ligands A and B and receptors α and β in cerebral arteriovenous and cavernous malformations. Fifteen arteriovenous malformation (AVM) and 15 cerebral cavernous malformation (CCM) tissue samples were immunostained for PDGF ligands A and B, PDGF receptors (PDGFR) α and β, and vascular endothelial growth factor. Tissues were compared in terms of expression levels within various vascular layers, and the results were confirmed using western blotting.

Gamma knife radiosurgery in non small cell lung cancer patients with brain metastases: treatment results and prognostic factors.

Purpose: To evaluate the efficacy of gamma knife radiosurgery (GKRS) for the treatment of brain metastases from non small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and find out the prognostic factors for overall survival.

Methods: Between February 1997 and August 2003 100 patients underwent treatment for 184 brain metastases from NSCLC, either for recurrence (n=49) or with a new diagnosis (n=51). Median age was 55 years and 77 patients were male.

Right atrial appendage function in different etiologies of permanent atrial fibrillation: a transesophageal echocardiography and tissue Doppler imaging study.

Objectives: Several studies exist on the left atrial appendage function (LAA) in permanent atrial fibrillation (AF). However, knowledge about the right atrial appendage (RAA) function is limited. We investigated RAA function with TEE and tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) in permanent AF patients with different etiologies and evaluated predictive parameters of right atrial spontaneous echo contrast (SEC) and thrombi.

Dilated cardiomyopathy, spontaneous echo contrast in the aorta and embolic events.

Background: Spontaneous echocardiographic contrast (SEC) is a frequent finding in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). In this study, we have investigated the frequency and clinical correlates of aortic-SEC (Ao-SEC) in patients with DCM.

Methods: Ninety-two consecutive DCM patients (63 men, 29 women, mean age 60 +/- 11 years) underwent transthoracic and transoesophageal echocardiography.

Outcomes of gamma knife treatment for solid intracranial hemangioblastomas.

The aim of this study was to examine the results of gamma knife radiosurgery for 13 patients with residual/recurrent or newly diagnosed solid hemangioblastomas. The 13 patients had 34 solid hemangioblastomas, and all patients underwent gamma knife radiosurgery. Seven patients had von Hippel-Lindau disease and six had sporadic disease.

Elevated level of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein is important in determining prognosis in chronic heart failure.

Background: While the adverse prognostic impact of a high level of high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) in coronary artery disease is well known, we lack data about the prognostic importance of hs-CRP in chronic heart failure (CHF) patients. The aim was to investigate the relationship between hs-CRP and prognosis in CHF patients.

Material/methods: Patients (n=258, 74 females) with CHF of both ischemic and non-ischemic etiology were followed up for a mean period of 17 + or - 13 months.

Expression of angiogenic factors in craniopharyngiomas: implications for tumor recurrence.

Background: The primary treatment for craniopharyngiomas is total excision, but recurrence is common. However, current knowledge on the mechanisms of recurrence is limited.

Objective: We hypothesized that recurrence is linked to the angiogenesis of the tumor.

Temporal expression of angiogenesis-related genes in developing neonatal rodent retina: a novel in vivo model to study cerebral vascular development.

Background: Experimental models to study cerebrovascular malformations are limited therefore we used the neonatal rodent retina as a model to study cerebral angiogenesis.

Objective: We performed a gene expression analysis to define temporal changes in the expression of 96 angiogenesis-related genes during retinal vascularization.

Methods: A total of 72 retinas from 36 newborn C57BL/6 mice were used.

Gamma knife stereotactic radiosurgery yields good long-term outcomes for low-volume uveal melanomas without intraocular complications.

We present the outcomes of 35 uveal melanoma patients treated with gamma knife stereotactic radiosurgery. All cases were previously untreated. During follow-up, regular MRI examinations were used to detect any changes in tumor size and estimate the local long-term tumor control rate.

Persistent left superior vena cava and partial anomalous pulmonary venous return in an old asymptomatic female patient.

Persistent left superior vena cava is a rare congenital venous anomaly. It results from failure of closure of the left anterior cardinal vein during cardiac development. It is usually asymptomatic but can be associated with other congenital cardiac defects including atrial septal defects, ventricular septal defects, endocardial cushion defects, tetralogy of Fallot and rhythm disturbances.

Expressions of angiogenesis associated matrix metalloproteinases and extracellular matrix proteins in cerebral vascular malformations.

This study aimed to compare cerebral arteriovenous malformations (cAVM) and cerebral cavernous malformations (CCM) with regard to the immunohistochemical expressions of matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) and selected extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins, which have a role in the regulation of angiogenesis. Fresh-frozen surgical specimens from patients with cAVM (n=14) and CCM (n=15) were immunohistochemically stained with antibodies for MMP-2, MMP-9, laminin, fibronectin and tenascin. To compare cAVM and CCM, expression of each protein was graded using a four-point scoring system for each histological layer of the lesion.