[Gene therapy in malignant mesothelioma].

Malignant mesothelioma which arises from pleural mesothelial cells is a rare and deadly disease. Environmental factors, especially the exposure of asbestos, are accepted as etiological factors. There is not any accepted treatment of malignant mesothelioma.

Immunoglobulin deficiency in kidney allograft recipients: comparative effects of mycophenolate mofetil and azathioprine.

Mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) has commonly been substituted for azathioprine (AZA) in kidney transplantation and has been shown to have a greater effect on T cell function and also B cell function than AZA. Although immunoglobulin deficiency has been investigated in patients treated with protocols that include AZA, it has not extensively been studied in MMF-based immunosuppressive protocols. To evaluate this effect, we conducted a prospective study and recruited 49 patients.

Two-staged operation on C2 neoplastic lesions: anterior excision and posterior stabilization.

This retrospective study included eight consecutive cases with C2 vertebral body neoplastic lesions. The anterior retropharyngeal approach was used to remove the lesions and decompress the spinal cord. Spinal stabilization with occipitocervical plating in a second-stage operation makes the treatment more tolerable for patients.

Analysis of the modifying effects of SAA1, SAA2 and TNF-alpha gene polymorphisms on development of amyloidosis in FMF patients.

The aim of this study was to examine whether polymorphisms at serum amyloid A (SAA) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) genes are associated with development of amyloidosis in familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) patients. Seventy-three FMF patients with amyloidosis and 100 other FMF patients without amyloidosis of known genotypes and 100 healthy control subjects were analyzed. There was a significant difference in the frequency of alpha/alpha genotype at the SAA1 locus between FMF patients with amyloidosis and controls and FMF patients without amyloidosis.

Single-stage transthoracic approach for right lung and liver hydatid disease.

Objective: Human echinococcosis remains a serious health problem for the Mediterranean countries. Synchronous pulmonary and hepatic hydatid disease may occur in 4% to 25% of cases. Our experience on simultaneous surgical treatment of right lung and liver hydatid disease in patients was reviewed.

Prevalence, detection and treatment of asymptomatic bacteriuria in a Turkish obstetric population.

Objective: To prospectively determine the prevalence of asymptomatic bacteriuria (ASB) and urinary tract infection (UTI) and presenting symptoms of UTI as well as the most appropriate diagnostic test and success of single/combination drug treatment in a Turkish obstetric population.

Study Design: Between September and December 2000, 406 of 412 pregnant women admitted for an initial obstetric examination during the first trimester were evaluated. Results of clean-catch urine culture, microscopic urinalysis and dipstick urine tests were analyzed.

[A case of giant frontal sinus osteoma].

Osteomas are the most frequent bone tumors of the facial bones, the most involving the frontal sinus and thus leading to symptoms of frontal sinusitis or associated complications. A twenty-one-year-old male patient presented with a growing swelling on the right side of the forehead. Examination revealed a slight facial asymmetry, a laterally shifted right orbital bulb, and disturbed vision.

Female and male differences in the survival of patients undergoing resection for lung cancer.

Objective: In recent years much attention has been focused on the rapidly increasing incidence of primary lung cancer in women. The aim of this study was to determine gender differences in patients treated surgically for lung cancer.

Methods: We performed a retrospective review of patients who had lung resection for primary lung cancer from January 1994 to December 1998.

Development of amyloidosis in Behçet's syndrome with isolated mucocutaneous involvement.

Development of secondary amyloidosis is an infrequent complication in patients with Behçet's syndrome (BS). It has been reported that multiple systemic involvement, long disease duration, and male gender are major clinical factors accompanying the development of amyloidosis in BS. We report a case of secondary amyloidosis in a patient diagnosed as having BS with a positive pathergy test 9 years previously and who had isolated mucocutaneous involvement.

The detection of flow cytometric G-CSF receptor expression and it's effect on therapy in acute myeloid leukemia.

The aim of this study was to evaluate G-CSF receptor (G-CSFr) expression on myeloid blasts, its prognostic significance and role in growth factor use and the safety and efficacy of G-CSF in the treatment of AML. Expression of G-CSFr, CD11a, CD11b, CD11c, CD13, CD33 and CD34 were analyzed with flow cytometry in 101 patients with AML aged 15-60 years. Results were reported as a percentage of positive cells.

Randomized, crossover study of the effect of vitamin C on EPO response in hemodialysis patients.

Background: Vitamin C has been reported to be an effective adjuvant agent in the treatment of anemia in iron-overloaded hemodialysis patients. We aim to evaluate its effect on erythropoietin (EPO) response in a prospective, randomized, double-blind, crossover study.

Methods: Sixty-three patients were randomly divided into two groups.

General or disease specific questionnaire? A comparative study in hemodialysis patients.

Objective: Today questionnaires developed to assess important outcome measures such as health-related quality of life are widely used. In this study we evaluated the construct validity of the Nottingham Health Profile (NHP) and the reliability of its Turkish version in hemodialysis patients.

Methods: In a sample of patients on renal dialysis (n = 94) the quality of life is measured by the NHP.

Adaptation and validation of the Turkish version of the Rheumatoid Arthritis Quality of Life Scale.

Objective: The aim of this study was to adapt the Rheumatoid Arthritis Quality of Life (RAQoL) questionnaire for use in Turkey and to test its reliability and validity.

Methods: The translation process included the recent guidelines for cross-cultural adaptation. Reliability of the Turkish RAQoL was assessed by internal consistency and test-retest reliability, internal construct validity by Rasch analysis, and external construct validity by associations with impairments, disability, and general health status.

MPO-ANCA-associated pulmonary-renal vasculitis in a patient with diabetes mellitus.

Diabetes mellitus is one of the major causes of chronic renal failure. Typical findings of diabetic nephropathy are early hyperfiltration followed by microalbuminuria and overt proteinuria, resulting in a progressive decrease in glomerular filtration rate. Rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis has rarely been reported in patients with diabetes mellitus.

Primary amyloidosis presenting with massive generalized lymphadenopathy.

Systemic amyloidosis is an unusual cause of generalized massive lymphadenopathy. In such cases the clinical picture may mimic lymphoma. We report a case of generalized massive lymphadenopathy caused by amyloidosis.

The impact of vitamin D receptor genotype on the management of anemia in hemodialysis patients.

Background: Both in vitro and in vivo studies have shown that calcitriol, the active form of vitamin D, is involved in hematopoiesis. We hypothesized that the vitamin D receptor (VDR) genotype, which may differentiate response to endogenous or exogenous active vitamin D, has a role in the management of anemia in hemodialysis (HD) patients.

Methods: The VDR BsmI gene polymorphism was determined in 91 HD patients and 85 healthy controls.

Surgical treatment of peripheral lung cancer adherent to the parietal pleura.

Objectives: The objective of this paper is to assess the results of surgical treatment retrospectively in a consecutive series of 85 patients with peripheral non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) invading parietal pleura and chest wall.

Methods: From 1994 to 1998, of the 572 patients having pulmonary resection for NSCLC, 29 patients with neoplasm involving the parietal pleura (group I) and 56 with that invading the chest wall (group II) underwent resection.

Results: The operative mortality rate was 3.

Comparison of different priming techniques on the onset time and intubating conditions of rocuronium.

Background And Objective: The aim was to compare the effects of two different priming doses and priming intervals with the standard intubating dose of rocuronium on the onset time and intubation conditions.

Methods: After induction of anaesthesia, 75 patients were randomly assigned to one of five groups. Patients in Group 1 received a priming dose of rocuronium 0.

Surgical treatment in bronchiectasis: analysis of 166 patients.

Background: Bronchiectasis is usually caused by pulmonary infections and bronchial obstruction. It is still a serious problem in developing countries as our country. We reviewed the morbidity and mortality rates and outcome of surgical treatment for bronchiectasis.

Cramp finding: can it be used as a new diagnostic and prognostic factor in lumbar disc surgery?

In this prospective study, the validity and the importance of a new finding (cramp finding) in the diagnosis and outcome after lumbar disc surgery were tested. The test is performed with the person in prone position. Against a forceful knee flexion, the examiner holds the leg with one hand and applies a force to overcome the knee flexion.

Influence of storage time on activation of platelets collected with CS 3000 Plus and Cobe Spectra using platelet storage containers.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the in vitro activation in platelet suspensions collected with CS 3000 Plus and Cobe Spectra cell separators using platelet storage containers and the role of white blood cell (WBC) concentration of the suspension in this activation. Seventy-seven donors were subjected to automated platelet donations with 1 type of equipment (37 with Cobe Spectra and 40 with CS 3000 Plus). Blood samples were obtained immediately after separation and on the third day of storage at 22 degrees C in constant agitation.

Prevalence of Cryptosporidium infection in hemodialysis patients.

The prevalence of Cryptosporidium infection in patients who are on chronic hemodialysis due to end-stage renal failure is investigated and compared with the incidence in the healthy population. Stool specimens of 74 adult hemodialysis patients treated on an outpatient basis and 50 healthy individuals are examined for Cryptosporidium oocysts by using the modified acid-fast method. While 20.