Serum fetuin-A levels in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis.

Background/aim: One of the functions of fetuin-A is the restriction of formation and expansion ofextraosseous hydroxyapatite crystals. TIhe exact correlation of fetuin-A with bone mineral density (BMD) has not been clearly elucidated yet. In this study, we aimed to assess the relationship between BMD and fetuin-A in postmenopausal women.

Comparing the fatty acid levels of preterm and term breast milk in Turkish women.

Aim: Lipids are the main source of calories and considered very important in infant growth. We aimed to compare fatty acid composition of term and preterm breast milk. This is the first study that compares the fatty acid levels of preterm and term breast milk in Turkish women.

Plasma melatonin and urinary 6-hydroxymelatonin levels in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis.

Tuberculosis (TB) is the second most frequent cause of death in the world, after AIDS. Delay in diagnosing TB is an important worldwide problem. It seriously threatens public health.

Elevated serum neopterin levels in acetaminophen-induced liver injury.

Neopterin is synthesized in macrophage/Kupffer cells by interferon-gamma and other cytokines. This study aimed to evaluate the utility of using neopterin as a biomarker of acetaminophen (APAP)-induced liver injury. Wistar rats, randomly divided into two groups (APAP and normal), received APAP (1.

Circulating vaspin and its relationship with insulin sensitivity, adiponectin, and liver histology in subjects with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis.

Objective: Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is closely associated with components of metabolic syndrome. Vaspin is a novel adipocytokine that may link obesity, insulin resistance (IR), and type 2 diabetes mellitus. We aimed to investigate circulating vaspin levels in subjects with NASH and also to search for the association of vaspin with IR, adiponectin, and histological findings.

Decreased small dense LDL levels in Gilbert's syndrome.

Objective: To investigate the role of small dense low density lipoprotein cholesterol (sd-LDL-C) in the mechanism of decreased incidence of cardiovascular disease in Gilbert's syndrome (GS).

Design And Methods: sd-LDL-C, ox-LDL, and high sensitive C reactive protein (hs-CRP) levels were investigated in subjects with GS (n=42) and compared to healthy controls (n=52).

Results: Age, gender and body mass index (BMI) distributions were similar between the two groups.

Plasma apelin and ADMA Levels in patients with essential hypertension.

Both apelin and asymetric dymethyl arginine (ADMA) regulate blood pressures. Low apelin and high ADMA levels have been reported in several cardiometabolic disorders. However, there is no data about ADMA and apelin levels in essential hypertension and any relationship between them.

Relationship between hemoglobin and CD40 ligand in prediabetes.

Purpose: Hemoglobin (Hb) regulates the endothelial function by modulating the bio-availability of NO at the tissue level. A significant direct relationship is present between the Hb levels and endothelial functions in patients with Type 2 diabetes. Testing whether this association also exists in subjects with prediabetes is important because prediabetes is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and mortality.

Nebivolol therapy improves endothelial function and increases exercise tolerance in patients with cardiac syndrome X.

Objective: We sought to determine whether nebivolol affects coronary endothelial function and exercise induced ischemia in patients with cardiac syndrome X (CSX).

Methods: The study protocol undertaken was based on a single-blind randomized controlled prospective study. After a 2-week washout period, 38 patients with cardiac syndrome X were randomized to receive either nebivolol 5 mg daily (n=19) or metoprolol 50 mg daily (n=19) in a single- blind design for 12 weeks.

Paraoxonase-1 activity determination via paraoxon substrate yields no significant difference in mild hyperhomocysteinemia.

Elevated plasma homocystein (Hcy) level has been recognized as an important risk factor for a number of cardiovascular diseases, peripheral arterial occlusive disease and venous thrombosis. A part of Hcy in the organism is turned to homocysteine thiolactone (HcyT) via a ring closure reaction, which gains rate in hyperhomocysteinemia, and in turn undergoes a hydrolytic reaction back to Hcy by paraoxonase enzyme (PON). Since this is a protective reflex action enzyme against hyperhomocysteinemia, we investigated how a mild hyperhomocysteinemic nutritional habit affected serum PON activity in a population-based study.

Soluble CD40 ligand and soluble P-selectin levels in Gilbert's syndrome: a link to protection against atherosclerosis?

Objective: To investigate the role of CD40 ligand and P-selectin in the mechanism of decreased incidence of cardiovascular disease in Gilbert's syndrome (GS).

Design And Methods: The soluble forms of CD40 ligand (sCD40L) and P-selectin (sP-selectin), and high sensitive C reactive protein (hs-CRP) levels were investigated in subjects with GS (n=25) and compared to healthy controls (n=53).

Results: sCD40L and hs-CRP levels were significantly lower in GS compared to the controls (0.

Pressure-related increase of asymmetric dimethylarginine caused by hyperbaric oxygen in the rat brain: a possible neuroprotective mechanism.

A decrease in nitric oxide availability in the brain tissue due to the inhibition of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) activity during the early phases of hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) exposure was found to be involved in hyperoxic vasoconstriction leading to reduced regional cerebral blood flow. We hypothesized that the concentration of asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA), an endogenous inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase (NOS), may be an important factor during this hyperoxic vasoconstriction state. Rats were exposed to 1, 2 and 3 atmospheres pure oxygen for two hours.

The effects of thyroxine replacement on the levels of serum asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) and other biochemical cardiovascular risk markers in patients with subclinical hypothyroidism.

Background: The relationship between subclinical hypothyroidism (SH) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) is still under debate. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate plasma total homocysteine (tHcy), high sensitive C-reactive protein (hsCRP), small dense low-density lipoprotein (sdLDL), L-arginine and asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) concentrations and their relationship to nitric oxide (NO) production, measured as plasma nitrite-plus-nitrate (NO(x)) concentration, in patients with SH before and after thyroxine replacement therapy and compared with control group values.

Design: Eighty-four women with SH and 33 healthy women as controls matched to the patient group for sex, age and body mass index (BMI), were enrolled in this study.

Pleural fluid and serum procalcitonin as diagnostic tools in tuberculous pleurisy.

Background: Diagnosis of tuberculous pleuritis is difficult because of its nonspecific clinical presentation and decreased efficiency of traditional diagnostic methods. We investigated the use of procalcitonin (PCT) concentration in tuberculous pleuritis diagnosis.

Methods: A prospective clinical study was performed with two different patient groups.

Elevated urine neopterin levels in nonalcoholic steatohepatitis.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to relate urine levels of neopterin, a marker of activation of the cellular immune system, with grading and staging of NASH.

Design And Methods: Urine concentrations of neopterin, routine tests, insulin and C-peptide levels were assessed in 50 patients with NASH, 25 patients with chronic viral hepatitis (CVH), and in 26 healthy controls.

Results: Urine neopterin levels were found elevated in the NASH and CVH groups compared with controls.