Is vitamin D insufficiency to blame for recurrent wheezing?

Background: Vitamin D (VitD) and its metabolites play important roles in the regulation of the respiratory and immune systems. The aim of this study was to examine serum 25(OH) vitamin D [25(OH)D] levels and VitD deficiency on the development of wheezing and clinical features.

Methods: This study was a prospective cross-sectional survey that included a total of 70 infants being followed in the Pediatric Immunology and Allergy Unit at Ondokuz Mayis University.

Association of congenital left renal vein anomalies and unexplained hematuria: multidetector computed tomography findings.

Objectives: To investigate whether congenital renal vein anomalies are involved in the etiology of hematuria by analyzing abdominal multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) results.

Methods: Six hundred and eighty patients undergoing MDCT for various abdominal pathologies in whom possible causes of hematuria were excluded were retrospectively assessed in terms of left renal vein anomalies, such as circumaortic left renal vein (CLRV), retroaortic left renal vein (RLRV) and multiple renal vein (MRV). Patients with CLRV, RLRV or MRV and patients with normal left renal veins were compared in terms of the presence of hematuria.

New thiophene-1,2,4-triazole-5(3)-ones: highly bioactive thiosemicarbazides, structures of Schiff bases and triazole-thiols.

Key compound 2-(4-amino-5-oxo-3-(thiophene-2-ylmethyl)-4,5-dihydro-1,2,4-tiazole-1-yl) acetohydrazide (3) was synthesized by reacting hydrazine hydrate with ethyl-2-(4-amino-5-oxo-3-(thiophene-2-ylmethyl)-4,5-dihydro-1,2,4-tiazole-1yl)acetate (2), obtained in basic media from 4-amino-5-(thiophene-2-ylmethyl)-2H-1,2,4-triazole-3(4H)-one (1). Compound 3 was converted to thiosemicarbazide derivatives (4a-d) and Schiff base derivatives 6a-e and 7a-e. The treatment of compound 4 with NaOH gave 4-amino-2-((4-(4-aryl)-5-mercapto-4H-1,2,4-triazole-3-yl)methyl)-5-(thiophene-2-ylmethyl)-2H-1,2,4-triazole-3(4H)-ones (5a-d).

Seminal vesicle hypoplasia with contralateral renal agenesis.

Renal agenesis is a rare condition of unknown etiology frequently seen together with ipsilateral seminal vesicle and vas deferens anomalies because of common embryologic development. However, no cases of contralateral seminal vesicle hypoplasia accompanying renal agenesis have previously been reported. We describe a case of contralateral seminal vesicle hypoplasia accompanying renal agenesis incidentally detected in a 27-year-old presenting to the urology clinic with pelvic pain.

Relationship between hypogammaglobulinemia and severity of atopic dermatitis.

Background: Atopic dermatitis is an itchy, inflammatory, chronic, or chronically relapsing skin disease. The disease occurs in people who have an "atopic tendency" or may appear as a clinical sign of primary immunodeficiency.

Objectives: To determine the relation between severity of atopic dermatitis and hypogammaglobulinemia.

Reconstitution of the mitochondrial calcium uniporter in yeast.

The mitochondrial calcium uniporter is a highly selective calcium channel distributed broadly across eukaryotes but absent in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The molecular components of the human uniporter holocomplex (uniplex) have been identified recently. The uniplex consists of three membrane-spanning subunits--mitochondrial calcium uniporter (MCU), its paralog MCUb, and essential MCU regulator (EMRE)--and two soluble regulatory components--MICU1 and its paralog MICU2.

Characteristics of venom allergic reactions in Turkish beekeepers and alternative treatment modalities.

Background: The objective of this work was to determine the characteristics of allergic reactions that may occur after a bee sting and alternative treatment methods in Turkish beekeepers.

Methods: A written questionnaire was administered to beekeepers from the Ordu, Samsun, Sinop, Amasya, and Çorum provinces located in the Central Black Sea Region of Turkey.

Results: The study included 301 beekeepers, 295 (98%) of whom were male.

Effect of carotid artery stenting on ophthalmic artery flow patterns.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of carotid artery stenting on ophthalmic artery blood flow using transorbital color and spectral Doppler sonography and review the changes in relation to cerebral hemodynamics.

Methods: Twenty-eight consecutive patients with severe internal carotid artery stenosis (≥ 70%) who were scheduled for carotid stenting were included. Ophthalmic artery Doppler sonography was performed bilaterally before and after stenting.

Prevalence of daytime urinary incontinence and related risk factors in primary school children in Turkey.

Purpose: Urinary incontinence is one of the major urinary symptoms in children and adolescents and can lead to major distress for the affected children and their parents. In accordance with the definitions of the Standardization Committee of the International Children's Continence Society, daytime urinary incontinence (DUI) is uncontrollable leakage of urine during the day. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to investigate the prevalence and associated risk factors of DUI in Turkish primary school children.

Vitamin C supplementation modulates gene expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells specifically upon an inflammatory stimulus: a pilot study in healthy subjects.

In order to study the effects of vitamin C supplementation on gene expression and compare its action between physiological and inflammatory conditions, a pilot study was set up utilizing microarray and qPCR technologies. Five healthy volunteers were supplemented with 1 g vitamin C (Redoxon(®)) per day for five consecutive days. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMNC) were isolated before and just after the last supplementation, and RNA was isolated for the Affymetrix gene 1.

Management of subglottic hemangioma with propranolol.

Subglottic hemangioma is a rare but life- threatening condition which requires intervention. It generally starts proliferating in the first and second months of lifespan and whether there is a respiration problem or not, it causes biphasic stridor. Its diagnosis generally requires direct laryngoscopy or direct screening through bronchoscopy.

Association of Tourette syndrome and obsessive-compulsive disorder with allergic diseases in children and adolescents: a preliminary study.

Objectives: To investigate the rate of allergic diseases including asthma, allergic rhinitis and eczema in children and adolescents diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) (n:26) and/or Tourette syndrome (TS) (n:32) [OCD plus TS, n:13] compared to control subjects (n:35) [total, n:80].

Patients And Methods: The symptoms of any allergic disease were assessed using the ISAAC questionnaire form. Allergy diagnoses were made by a pediatric allergy specialist.

Synthesis and biological properties of novel triazole-thiol and thiadiazole derivatives of the 1,2,4-Triazole-3(5)-one class.

2,2'-(4,4'(Butane-1,4-diyl/hexane-1,6-diyl)bis(3-methyl-5-oxo-4,5-dihydro-1,2,4- triazole-4,1-diyl)) diacetohydrazides 3a,b were obtained via the formation of diethyl 2,2'-(4,4'(butane-1,4-diyl/hexane-1,6-diyl)bis(3-methyl-5-oxo-4,5-dihydro-1,2,4-triazole-4,1- diyl))diacetates 2a,b, obtained starting from di-[3(methyl-2-yl-methyl)-4,5-dihydro-1H-[1,2,4]-triazole-5-one-4yl]-n-alkanes 1a,b in two steps. The synthesis of the compounds 7a,b-9a,b incorporating the 1,3,4-thiadiazole, and 10a,b-11a,b with a 1,2,4-triazole-thiol nucleus as the second heterocycle, was performed by the acidic or basic treatment of compounds 4a,b-6a,b which were obtained from the reaction of 3a,b with several isothiocyanates. Newly synthesized compounds were screened for antimicrobial activities and their antioxidant properties by the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl hydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging method.

A potential novel strategy, inhibition of vasopressin-induced VEGF secretion by relcovaptan, for decreasing the incidence of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome in the hyperstimulated rat model.

Objective: To investigate the effects of V1A receptor antagonist through inhibition of vasopressin-induced VEGF secretion in an experimental model.

Study Design: Thirty rats were randomly divided into five groups. Four groups were given 10IU pregnant mare serum gonadotropin/day (sc) at 8:00-8:30am on days 22-25 of life.

Can Fecal Calprotectin Level Be Used as a Markers of Inflammation in the Diagnosis and Follow-Up of Cow's Milk Protein Allergy?

Purpose: Calprotectin is a cytosolic protein with immunomodulatory, antimicrobial, and antiproliferative actions. The concentration of calprotectin increases in infection, inflammation, and malignancy. We determined if calprotectin can be used as a marker for the diagnosis and follow-up of bowel inflammation in cow's milk protein allergy (CMPA).

Intramesenteric steroid treatment for steroid- refractory gastrointestinal graft versus host disease.

Unlabelled: Currently, steroid-refractory severe gastrointestinal (GI) graft versus host disease (GVHD) is among the most important complications of allogeneic transplantation, and as yet there is no standard approach to its treatment. Herein we report two cases with steroid-refractory GI GVHD that received intramesenteric steroid treatment. In both cases the frequency and volume of diarrhea resolved completely following intramesenteric methylprednisolone (MP) injection.

Vancomycin and daptomycin minimum inhibitory concentration distribution and occurrence of heteroresistance among methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus blood isolates in Turkey.

Background: The aim of this study was to determine the distribution of vancomycin and daptomycin MICs among methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) blood isolates, the prevalence of heterogeneous vancomycin-intermediate S. aureus (hVISA) and the relationship between hVISA and vancomycin MIC values.

Methods: A total of 175 MRSA blood isolates were collected from seven university hospitals in Turkey.

EMRE is an essential component of the mitochondrial calcium uniporter complex.

The mitochondrial uniporter is a highly selective calcium channel in the organelle's inner membrane. Its molecular components include the EF-hand-containing calcium-binding proteins mitochondrial calcium uptake 1 (MICU1) and MICU2 and the pore-forming subunit mitochondrial calcium uniporter (MCU). We sought to achieve a full molecular characterization of the uniporter holocomplex (uniplex).

MCU encodes the pore conducting mitochondrial calcium currents.

Mitochondrial calcium (Ca(2+)) import is a well-described phenomenon regulating cell survival and ATP production. Of multiple pathways allowing such entry, the mitochondrial Ca(2+) uniporter is a highly Ca(2+)-selective channel complex encoded by several recently-discovered genes. However, the identity of the pore-forming subunit remains to be established, since knockdown of all the candidate uniporter genes inhibit Ca(2+) uptake in imaging assays, and reconstitution experiments have been equivocal.

MICU1 controls both the threshold and cooperative activation of the mitochondrial Ca²⁺ uniporter.

Mitochondrial Ca(2+) uptake via the uniporter is central to cell metabolism, signaling, and survival. Recent studies identified MCU as the uniporter's likely pore and MICU1, an EF-hand protein, as its critical regulator. How this complex decodes dynamic cytoplasmic [Ca(2+)] ([Ca(2+)]c) signals, to tune out small [Ca(2+)]c increases yet permit pulse transmission, remains unknown.