Primary aortoduodenal fistula due to a swallowed sewing needle: a rare cause of gastrointestinal bleeding.

A primary fistula between the abdominal aorta and the duodenum is rare and usually fatal. Atherosclerosis remains the most common etiologic factor, accounting for more than two-thirds of the cases reported. Other etiologies include carcinoma, ulcers, radiation, aortitis and foreign bodies including sewing needle, cocktail stick, open safety pin and fishbone.

A brucellosis case with ascites, hearing loss and pancytopenia.

To date there has been no association of ascites, hearing loss and pancytopenia in brucellosis in the literature. A 25-year-old female patient was hospitalized with fever, hearing loss, ascites and pancytopenia. Cultures from bone marrow and ascites yielded growth of Brucella melitensis and Brucella standard tube agglutination was found to be positive at a titer of 1/1280.

Chronic hepatitis delta virus infection in Van region of eastern Turkey.

Background/aims: Hepatitis delta virus infection is an important cause of liver morbidity and mortality worldwide. In Eastern Turkey, hepatitis B virus infection is the major cause of chronic liver diseases. We aimed to research the role of hepatitis delta virus infection in chronic liver diseases related to hepatitis B virus infection in the Van region of Eastern Turkey.

Epidemiological aspects of endemic upper gastrointestinal cancers in eastern Turkey.

Background/aims: The aim of our study was to present the epidemiological aspects of endemic upper gastrointestinal (esophageal and gastric) cancers in the Van region of Eastern Turkey.

Methodology: The patients were diagnosed by esophagogastroscopy, biopsy and histopathological analysis. The control group consisted of 73 healthy subjects.

Dietary nitrate and nitrite levels in an endemic upper gastrointestinal (esophageal and gastric) cancer region of Turkey.

Background/aims: The aim of this study was investigate nitrate and nitrite levels in some traditional foods and drinking water in Van, an endemic upper gastrointestinal (esophageal and gastric) cancer region of Eastern Turkey.

Methods: Cheese with added herbs, drinking water, bread baked by wood fire and bread baked by burning animal manure specimens collected in the Van region were analyzed by Stahr's modification method. Nitrite was reduced to nitrate by the following three reagents: hydrazine sulphate ((NH2) 2SO4), CuSO4 and NaOH.

The association of short segment Barrett's esophagus with intestinal metaplasia in stomach.

Background/aims: The aims of this study were to investigate the presence of short segment Barrett's esophagus in people found to have tongue-like columnar mucosal protrusions in the distal esophagus and to determine the relationship between short segment Barrert's esophagus and Helicobacter pylori, gastritis and intestinal metaplasia observed in other parts of the stomach.

Methods: The study included 50 patients (32 male, 18 female). Two biopsy specimens were taken from the antrum, at least 2 cm away from the pylorus, from the incisura angularis, corpus and cardia and four biopsy specimens were taken from tongue-like columnar protrusions (<3 cm long) above the gastroesophageal junction.

Effects of Nigella sativa L. and Urtica dioica L. on lipid peroxidation, antioxidant enzyme systems and some liver enzymes in CCl4-treated rats.

This study was designed to investigate the effects Nigella sativa L. (NS) and Urtica dioica L. (UD) on lipid peroxidation, antioxidant enzyme systems and some liver enzymes in carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-treated rats.

The role of Urtica dioica and Nigella sativa in the prevention of carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatotoxicity in rats.

The role of Nigella sativa L. (Ranunculaceae) (NS) and Urtica dioica L. was investigated (UD) in the prevention of carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) induced liver fibrosis and cirrhosis.

Heavy metals in soil, vegetables and fruits in the endemic upper gastrointestinal cancer region of Turkey.

The environmental exposure to heavy metals is a well-known risk factor for cancer. We investigated levels of seven different heavy metals, (Co, Cd, Pb, Zn, Mn, Ni and Cu) in soil, fruit and vegetable samples of Van region in Eastern Turkey where upper gastrointestinal (GI) cancers are endemic. Heavy metal contents of the samples were determined by flame atomic absorption spectrometer.

Clinical characteristics and genetic screening of an extended family with MEN2A.

MEN-2A is characterized by medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) with pheochromocytoma and sometimes parathyroid adenoma. In affected members of the family, the risk of MTC is about 100%. Biochemical screening allows tumors to be detected early but even at this stage treatment is not always curative.

Polyserositis as a rare component of polyglandular autoimmune syndrome type II.

Polyglandular autoimmune (PGA) syndromes (types I and II) may affect various endocrine and non-endocrine organs in the body. In the commoner PGA type II, primary adrenal insufficiency, autoimmune thyroid disease and type I diabetes mellitus are the most frequent manifestations. Serositis with pericardial or pleural involvement is not a well known component of the disease.

The effect of autonomic nervous system activity on exaggerated blood pressure response to exercise: evaluation by heart rate variability.

Objective: We investigated the effect of autonomic nervous system activity on exaggerated systolic blood pressure (SBP) response to exercise in healthy subjects using heart rate variability (HRV) analysis.

Method And Results: We studied 53 healthy volunteer subjects with exercise treadmill test according to the Bruce protocol. Time domain and frequency domain of HRV were measured for each 5-minute segment before (rest) and after exercise (recovery) and during the total exercise period.