Antimicrobial activity of extracts of the lichen Xanthoparmelia pokornyi and its gyrophoric and stenosporic acid constituents.

The antimicrobial activity of the diethyl ether, acetone, chloroform, petroleum ether, and ethanol extracts of the lichen Xanthoparmelia pokornyi and its gyrophoric acid and stenosporic acid constituents has been screened against some foodborne bacteria and fungi. Both the extracts and the acids showed antimicrobial activity against Aeromonas hydrophila, Bacillus cereus, Bacillus subtilis, Listeria monocytogenes, Proteus vulgaris, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus faecalis, Yersinia enterocolitica, Candida albicans and Candida glabrata. The extracts were inactive against the tested filamentous fungi.

The anti-oxidant effect of alpha-tocopherol in the prevention of experimentally induced myringosclerosis.

Hypothesis: The objective of this study was to investigate the possible effect of alpha-tocopherol on the prevention of experimentally induced myringosclerosis.

Background: Myringosclerosis is a common sequela of ventilation tube treatment of otitis media with effusion. The relationship between oxygen-derived free radicals and occurrence of myringosclerosis has been proven in experimental models, and it was also shown that the formation of myringosclerosis after experimental myringotomy could be reduced by application of various free radical scavengers.

Tympanometric changes in an experimental myringosclerosis model after myringotomy.

Hypothesis: The goal of this experimental study was to investigate the specific effect of myringosclerosis on tympanograms in the tympanic membranes of myringotomized rats by using otomicroscopy, tympanometry, and histopathology.

Background: Myringosclerosis is a common sequela of ventilation tube treatment of otitis media with effusion. The condition involves the hyalinization and calcification of the collagen layer in certain areas of the tympanic membrane.

Alendronate treatment in osteogenesis imperfecta.

Aims: Osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) is a chronic, disabling condition characterized by bone fragility resulting from defective production of type I collagen. Pamidronate therapy is the most extensively studied treatment and has proved beneficial. Our objective was to evaluate the effect of alendronate, a more potent bisphosphonate than pamidronate, in OI.

Bone mineral density and its correlation with clinical and laboratory factors in chronic peritoneal dialysis patients.

The aim of this study was to assess the clinical and laboratory correlations of bone mineral density (BMD) measurements among a large population of patients on chronic peritoneal dialysis (PD). This cross-sectional, multicenter study was carried out in 292 PD patients with a mean age of 56 +/- 16 years and mean duration of PD 3.1 +/- 2.

The antimicrobial activity of extracts of the lichen Hypogymnia tubulosa and its 3-hydroxyphysodic acid constituent.

The antimicrobial activity and the MIC values of the diethyl ether, acetone, chloroform, petroleum ether, and ethanol extracts of the lichen Hypogymnia tubulosa and its 3-hydroxyphysodic acid constituent have been investigated against some microorganisms. At least one of the extracts or 3-hydroxyphysodic acid showed antimicrobial activity against Aeromonas hydrophila, Bacillus cereus, Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Listeria monocytogenes, Proteus vulgaris, Salmonella typhimurium, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus faecalis, and Candida albicans. No antifungal activity of the extracts has been observed against ten filamentous fungi.

Reproductive outcome of women with unicornuate uterus.

This study was undertaken to examine the reproductive impact of unicornuate uterine abnormalities cases in a group of 571 women with a uterine anomaly. Hospital records of 1784 patients who presented to the infertility outpatient clinic with infertility, recurrent pregnancy loss, pain or acute abdomen during the study period between January 1991 and January 2001, were reviewed retrospectively. The reproductive performance of women with unicornuate uterus was poor, with a live birth rate of only 29.

Chiral recognition and separation of beta2-amino acids using non-covalently molecularly imprinted polymers.

Non-covalently molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) for beta2-amino acids were prepared for the first time. N-(2-chlorobenzyloxycarbonyl)-(R)-beta2-homophenylalanine (N-2-ClZ-(R)-beta2-HPhe) was imprinted with methacrylic acid (MAA) and/or 4-vinylpyridine (4-VPy) as the functional monomers, with ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EDMA) as the cross-linker. The MIPs made with different ratios of MAA:4-VPy were studied in HPLC mode.

Effect of tubal ligation on ovarian reserve and the ovarian stromal blood supply.

Aim: Our aim was to evaluate possible adverse effects of tubal ligation on ovarian reserve and ovarian stromal vascular support.

Methods: Ninety-one women who underwent tubal ligation, using a modified Pomeroy technique, were studied. The main outcome measurements were serum follicle stimulating hormone, luteinising hormone and oestradiol levels, ovarian volume, number of antral follicles and Doppler study of ovarian stromal artery on the third day of the menstrual cycle immediately before, 1 month and 12 months after the surgical intervention.

Association of pre-eclampsia with hyperhomocysteinaemia and methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase gene C677T polymorphism in a Turkish population.

Background: Hyperhomocysteinaemia is a common finding in a wide variety of pathological conditions that exhibit endothelial disturbances. In the pathogenesis of pre-eclampsia, endothelial cell activation or dysfunction has been proposed as a central feature, and the presence of hyperhomocysteinaemia in varying degrees has been detected. One of the known causes of hyperhomocysteinaemia is polymorphism in the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase gene that lowers the activity of the enzyme.

The antimicrobial activity of extracts of the lichen Cladonia foliacea and its (-)-usnic acid, atranorin, and fumarprotocetraric acid constituents.

The antimicrobial activity of the chloroform, diethyl ether, acetone, petroleum ether, and ethanol extracts of the lichen Cladonia foliacea and its (-)-usnic acid, atranorin, and fumarprotocetraric acid constituents against 9 bacteria and fungi has been investigated. The extracts and pure compounds alone were found active against the same bacteria and the same yeasts. Bacillus cereus, Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus faecalis, Proteus vulgaris, Listeria monocytogenes, Aeromonas hydrophila, Candida albicans, and Candida glabrata growth were inhibited.

Cytotoxicity of composite resins polymerized with different curing methods.

Aim: To compare the relative cytotoxicity of resin-based composite materials polymerized with three different curing methods on L 929 cells over a period of 1 week.

Methodology: Ten discs of each material (Flowline, P 60 and Z 250) were cured from one side with either standard cure (Optilux 401), soft-start cure (Elipar Free Light) or fast cure (Hilux Ultra Plus). Then the samples were aged for 1, 2, 3, 5 and 7 days in Dulbecco's Modified Eagle Medium/Ham's F12 (DMEM/F12).

The antimicrobial activity of extracts of the lichen Cetraria aculeata and its protolichesterinic acid constituent.

In this study, the antimicrobial activity of the acetone, diethyl ether and ethanol extracts of the lichen Cetraria aculeata has been investigated. The extracts were tested against twelve bacteria and eight fungi and found active against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Aeromonas hydrophila, Proteus vulgaris, Streptococcus faecalis, Bacillus cereus, Bacillus subtilis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Listeria monocytogenes. No antimicrobial activity against the fungi was detected.

The seven flap Z-plasty revisited.

Although multiple Z-plasties are widely used for burn contractures, the seven flap Z-plasty procedure has not gained wide acceptance in plastic surgery practice. However, the technique has the advantage of achieving more elongation than other Z-plasty techniques. The technique safely performed with satisfactory results in 31 cases.

The changes of circulating lymphocyte sub-populations in women with preterm labour: a case-controlled study.

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the changes in circulating T-cell subpopulations, B cells and natural killer cells in patients with imminent preterm labour.

Methods: Thirty-five pregnant patients with imminent preterm labour and 35 women with uncomplicated pregnancies were included in the study. The gestational ages of the patients ranged from 28 to 36 weeks in both groups.

The effect of calcitonin and growth hormone on urinary deoxypyridinoline levels in burned patients.

Reduced bone formation and bone loss have been documented in patients following burn injury. Urinary deoxypyridinoline (DPD) is accepted as a marker of collagen breakdown activity. Because calcitonin (CT) diminishes bone resorption and growth hormone (GH) increases bone formation and density in GH-deficient patients, we studied the short-term effects of CT and GH on urinary DPD levels in burned patients.