The comparative effects of valsartan and amlodipine on vWf levels and N/L ratio in patients with newly diagnosed hypertension.

High levels of circulating Von Willebrand factor (vWf) and increased neutrophil to lymphocyte (N/L) ratio may reflect vascular inflammation in hypertensive patients. In present study, we aimed to investigate the effects of valsartan as an angiotensin II receptor antagonist and amlodipine as a calcium channel blocker on the vWf levels and N/L ratio in patients with essential hypertension. Patients were randomized to one of the following intervention protocols: calcium channel blocker (amlodipine, 5-10 mg/day) as group A (n = 20 mean age = 51.

Investigation of the aortic pulse wave velocity in patients with Gilbert's syndrome.

Arterial stiffness is currently the "gold standard" measure of aortic (carotid-femoral) pulse wave velocity (PWV), which is an important independent predictor of risk of developing a cardiovascular event. Gilbert's syndrome is a congenital disorder characterized by intermittent and non-hemolytic elevation of indirect bilirubin levels due to the deficiency of the enzyme UDP-glucuronyl transferase in the liver and many prospective studies found an inverse relationship between bilirubin levels and cardiovascular events in these patients. We aimed to investigate serum bilirubin levels and arterial stiffness parameters in patients with Gilbert's syndrome in this study.

The relation of obesity with serum resistin levels in smoker and nonsmokers.

Background: The demonstration that adipose tissue produces numerous cytokines increases interest of investigators in their role in the pathogenesis of obesity. Resistin is one of those cytokines. There are conflicing reports as cigarette smoking impairs insulin secretion, augments insulin resistance, or has no effect on glucose metabolism.

Low-cost, broadly tunable (375-433 nm & 746-887 nm) Cr:LiCAF laser pumped by one single-spatial-mode diode.

We describe a low-cost, compact, and efficient Cr(3+):LiCaAlF(6) (Cr:LiCAF) laser that is broadly tunable in the near infrared (746-887 nm) and blue/ultraviolet (375-433 nm) regions of the optical spectrum. The pump source is a 660 nm single-mode-diode with 145 mW of output power. A melt-grown Cr:LiCAF crystal with an extremely high figure of merit above 2000 was used as the gain medium.

Serum gamma-glutamyltransferase levels are inversely related to endothelial function in chronic kidney disease.

Backgrounds: Gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) is an enzyme responsible for the extracellular catabolism of the antioxidant glutathione and recently implicated in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. Endothelial dysfunction is a prodromal feature of atherogenesis. Since oxidative stress is highly present in uremia and causally linked to endothelial dysfunction, we hypothesized that GGT may be a factor implicated in this process.

An additional LDL-lowering effect of amlodipine; not only an antihypertensive?

Hypertension is a modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular diseases and is associated with several metabolic disorders like dyslipidemia. Higher levels of triglyceride and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) are quite strong factors for the development of cardiovascular diseases. In this study, we investigated the effects of valsartan and amlodipine on the lipid profile in patients with newly diagnosed essential hypertension.

Skinfold thickness as a predictor of arterial stiffness: obesity and fatness linked to higher stiffness measurements in hypertensive patients.

Hypertensive patients have strong evidence of endothelial dysfunction. Some novel endothelial dysfunction parameters such as pulse wave velocity (PWV), augmentation index (AIx), and central aortic pressure (CAP) have been investigated as predictive markers of atherosclerosis. It is well known that obesity has relationships with endothelial dysfunction and atherosclerosis.

The relationship between some of the cardiovascular risk factors and arterial stiffness parameters in essentially hypertensive patients.

Hypertensive patients have strong evidence of endothelial dysfunction. We aimed to explore the relationships between cardiovascular risk factors and arterial stiffness parameters in hypertensive patients. The study population included 109 hypertensive patients (63 females, 46 males).

Attosecond timing jitter pulse trains from semiconductor saturable absorber mode-locked Cr:LiSAF lasers.

The timing jitter of optical pulse trains from diode-pumped, semiconductor saturable absorber mode-locked femtosecond Cr:LiSAF lasers is characterized by a single-crystal balanced optical cross-correlator with an equivalent sensitivity in phase noise of -235 dBc/Hz. The RMS timing jitter is 30 attoseconds integrated from 10 kHz to 50 MHz, the Nyquist frequency of the 100 MHz repetition rate oscillator. The AM-to-PM conversion induced excess phase noise is calculated and compared with experiment.

The comparative effects of valsartan and amlodipine on vascular microinflammation in newly diagnosed hypertensive patients.

Pentraxin 3 (PTX3) is a new candidate immunoinflammatory marker that has been reported to be associated with cardiometabolic risk factors. We aimed to investigate the effects of valsartan and amlodipine on the PTX3 and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels in patients with essential hypertension. Patients with a newly diagnosed essential hypertension were admitted to our internal medicine outpatient clinic.

Relation of resistin levels with C-reactve protein, homocysteine and uric acid in smokers and non-smokers.

Background: The association between C-reactive protein, homocysteine, uric acid levels and cardiovascular risk have been debated for decades. Resistin is a newly discovered adipocyte derived cytokine. Smoking besides its effect on atherosclerosis, is shown to alter adipocytokine levels.

The relationship between microalbuminuria, left ventricular hypertrophy, retinopathy, and sex hormone status in newly diagnosed hypertensive women.

An increased incidence of hypertension (HT) in postmenopausal female population has been shown in previous studies and this has been ascribed to an association with altered status of estrogen (E2) and other female sex hormones. Hypertension is associated with certain target organ damage (TOD) and related clinical conditions. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between microalbuminuria, left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH), retinopathy, and sex hormone status in newly diagnosed hypertensive women.

Extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy for ureteral stones: twelve years of experience with 2836 patients at a single center.

Purpose: To retrospectively analyze the efficacy of extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy (SWL) for managing ureteral stones in patients who were treated during a 12-year period at a single center in Turkey.

Materials And Methods: The study involved 3300 patients who had single ureteral stone and underwent SWL between January 1999 and March 2011. Medical records from 2836 (85%) patients were available for evaluation.

A new technique for the reconstruction of complex portal vein anomalies in right lobe living liver donors.

Living donor liver right lobe transplantation using donors with variation of the right sectorial portal vein is considered a challenging procedure in terms of the donor's safety and the complexity of reconstruction in the recipient. We describe an innovative technique to reconstruct double portal vein orifices via a deceased donor iliac vein graft. The postoperative course of the recipient was uneventful.

ABO-incompatible kidney transplantation: first cases in Turkey.

Introduction: ABO compatibility has been believed to be necessary in kidney transplantation (Ktx) to prevent acute antibody-mediated rejection. However, developments in immunosuppression and immunoadsorption techniques have overcome acute antibody-mediated rejection caused by ABO incompatibility. Herein, we have presented the first ABO-incompatible Ktx cases in Turkey.

Hepatitis B surface antigen positivity is not a contraindication for living kidney donation.

Because of the organ shortage, the number of patients awaiting kidney transplantation has increased rapidly requiring physicians to implement new methods to increase the number of grafts. In this study, we compared clinical and biochemical parameters of patients who received kidneys from hepatitis B surface antigen-positive (group 1) versus other living related kidney donors (group 2). The study included 414 female (15 group 1 and 399 group 2) and 816 male (20 group 1 and 796 group 2) donors for 1195 living related kidney transplantations performed between April 21, 2008 and March 1, 2011.

Comparison of paired exchange kidney transplantations with living related kidney transplantations.

Objective: Paired-exchange kidney transplantation (PETx) gains an importance because it is difficult to find suitable organs. The aim of this study was to compare biochemical and clinical parameters of PETx with those of living-related kidney transplantation (LRTx).

Method: The 57 PETx included 18 female and 39 male recipients among 1081 LRTx in 360 females and 721 males (N = 1138) whose operations were performed between November 21, 2008, and March 1, 2011.

Who is responsible for inadequate lymph node retrieval after colorectal surgery: surgeon or pathologist?

Background: Many factors have been described influencing survival of patients with colorectal cancer. The most important prognostic factor is lymph node involvement. The National Comprehensive Cancer Network indicates that at least 12 lymph nodes (LN12) must be retrieved for proper staging and treatment planning.

[Volar plate fixation of distal radius fractures].

Background: We aimed to evaluate the results of volar locking and unlocking plate fixation of adult distal radius fractures.

Methods: Thirty-four patients (14 female, 20 male, mean age: 48.5 +/- 17.

AFP level and histologic differentiation predict the survival of patients with liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma.

Background: In liver transplantation or resection for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), patient selection depends on morphological features. In patients with HCC, we performed a clinicopathological analysis of risk factors that affected survival after liver transplantation.

Methods: In 389 liver transplantations performed from 2004 to 2010, 102 were for HCC patients.

Ratio of remnant to total liver volume or remnant to body weight: which one is more predictive on donor outcomes?

Background: Right lobe donations are known to expose the donors to more surgical risks than left lobe donations. In the present study, the effects of remnant volume on donor outcomes after right lobe living donor hepatectomies were investigated.

Methods: The data on 262 consecutive living liver donors who had undergone a right hepatectomy from January 2004 to June 2011 were retrospectively analysed.

Electrochemical treatment of Baker's yeast wastewater containing melanoidin: optimization through response surface methodology.

Effluents from Baker's yeast production plant contain a high percentage of color and a large amount of organic load. In the present study, Baker's yeast wastewater (BYW) is treated with the electrocoagulation (EC) process using Al electrodes. Operating parameters (pH, current density, color intensity and operating time) are optimized by response surface methodology (RSM).