Protective effects of L-carnitine on myoglobinuric acute renal failure in rats.

1. Muscle injury (rhabdomyolysis) is one of the causes of acute renal failure (ARF). Iron, free radicals and nitric oxide (NO) play a critical role in the pathogenesis of glycerol-induced myoglobinuric ARF.

The variation in chronic widespread pain and other symptoms in fibromyalgia patients. The effects of menses and menopause.

Objectives: We determined the relationship between the menstrual cycle and fibromyalgia (FM) symptoms in premenopausal women. In addition, we compared the clinical features of FM patients diagnosed pre-and postmenopausally.

Methods: We included 80 premenopausal, and 72 postmenopausal patients with FM.

An experimental analysis on the magnetic field sensitivity of the black-meadow ant Formica pratensis Retzius (Hymenoptera: Formicidae).

Ant responses were tested under both the natural geomagnetic and artificially induced Earth-strength electromagnetic field. Foragers were trained for a month to visit a food source at the north arm accessed through an orientation platform assembly. Under the natural geomagnetic field, when all other orientational cues were eliminated, results indicated significant heterogeneity of ant distribution with the majority seeking geomagnetic north in darkness.

Methanol related deaths in Edirne.

In this retrospective autopsy study, a detailed analysis of methanol related deaths in Trakya region of Turkey is presented and departmental autopsy records, toxicology and histopathology results are analyzed. We found that methanol poisonings comprise 2.83% of all forensic autopsies (n:18), 88.

Differentiation of vascular dementia and Alzheimer disease: a functional transcranial Doppler ultrasonographic study.

Objective: In brain perfusion studies, perfusion defects have been reported mainly in the temporal and parietal regions in patients with Alzheimer disease (AD), but it is known that the occipital cortex is partially preserved from metabolic defects in patients with AD, at least in the early stage of the disease. We therefore evaluated the reactivity of the posterior cerebral arteries during visual stimulation with transcranial Doppler ultrasonography (TDU).

Methods: Fifteen patients with AD (mean age, 70 years), 12 patients with vascular dementia (VD) (mean age, 61.

"Fou rire prodromique" associated with simultaneous bilateral capsular genu infarction.

Pathological laughter is exaggerated, uncontrollable, and inappropriate laughter usually unrelated to a true emotion or a congruent mood. "Fou rire prodromique" is a rare form of prodromal pathological laughter of uncertain pathophysiology that heralds an ischaemic neurologic deficit. We report a case of prodromal pathological laughter marking the onset of bilateral capsular genu infarction.

A primary Sjögren's syndrome patient with distal renal tubular acidosis, who presented with symptoms of hypokalemic periodic paralysis: Report of a case study and review of the literature.

Although renal tubular acidosis (RTA), secondary to autoimmune interstitial nephritis, develops in a large proportion of patients with Sjögren's syndrome (SS), most of the subjects are asymptomatic. Here, we shall present a 39-year-old female patient who came to us with hypokalemic periodic paralysis (HPP), and who was later diagnosed with distal RTA. The patient, who had xerostomia and xerophthalmia for a long period of time, was diagnosed with primary SS from serologic and histologic findings.

Decreased serum osteoprotegerin levels in patients with cardiac syndrome X.

Unlabelled: Receptor activator of nuclear factor KB (RANK) and osteoprotegerin (OPG) represent the ligand and decoy receptor, respectively, of a pleiotropic cytokine system that regulates bone metabolism and vascular biology. Several studies supported systemic microvascular abnormalities in patients with cardiac syndrome X (CSX). This study investigates serum OPG levels in healthy obese subjects and healthy lean controls affected by cardiac syndrome X.

A patient with ankylosing spondylitis who presented with chronic necrotising aspergillosis: report on one case and review of the literature.

Upper lobe fibrobullous disease is a well-known finding in advanced stages of ankylosing spondylitis (AS). In this report, we present a 57-year-old male patient who was diagnosed with a right apical cavitary lesion after coming to us with the complaint of haemoptysis. The patient underwent upper lobe segmentectomy and an aspergilloma was detected.

Autoimmune polyglandular syndrome type III in monozygotic twins: a case report.

Autoimmune polyglandular syndrome is characterized by the coexistence of several autoimmune diseases, affecting predominantly the endocrine glands. Autoimmune polyglandular syndrome type III, as a subdivision of autoimmune polyglandular syndrome type II, is the co-occurrence of autoimmune thyroid disease with other autoimmune disorders without Addison disease. We present a rare case of autoimmune polyglandular syndrome type III in monozygotic twins.

Prevalence of Behçet's disease in rural western Turkey: a preliminary report.

Objectives: To study the prevalence of Behçet's disease (BD) in a rural area of Western Turkey.

Methods: This study was conducted in seven villages in the rural Havsa region which has a total population of 5727. The physicians and medical students visited every household and distributed a questionnaire on the symptoms of rheumatic disorders.

Prevention of cyclophosphamide-induced ovarian damage by concomitant administration of GnRHa in mice: a dose-dependent relationship?

Objective(s): This experimental study investigates the dose-related effects of cyclophosphamide (Cy) on primordial follicular reserve in young mice, and examines whether the concomitant administration of a gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist (GnRHa) may protect gonadal reserve, even at different doses of Cy.

Methods: Forty sexually mature virginal Balb/c mice aged five to six weeks were administered different doses (0, 50, 75,100 mg/kg) of Cy. Another 40 animals were treated with increasing doses (0, 50, 75, 100 mg/kg) of Cy in combination with GnRHa.

Effects of caffeic acid phenethyl ester on glycerol-induced acute renal failure in rats.

1. Free radicals and nitric oxide (NO) play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of myoglobinuric acute renal failure (ARF). The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE), an anti-oxidant, on the myoglobinuric ARF induced by intramuscular hypertonic glycerol injection.

Effects of N-acetylcysteine on arginase, ornithine and nitric oxide in renal ischemia-reperfusion injury.

Background: Renal ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) is a complex syndrome involving several mechanisms such as renal vasoconstrictions, extensive tubular damage and glomerular injury. N-Acetylcysteine (NAC), a potent antioxidant by itself, may serve as a precursor for glutathione synthesis. The aim of this study was to investigate the possible effects of NAC on liver and kidney tissue arginase activity, ornithine and plasma nitric oxide levels during the I/R injury of kidney.

Chondrosarcoma of the pubis imitating bladder tumor radiologically: a case report.

Chondrosarcoma is a rare tumor that more frequently involves the pelvic bones, the femur, and the humerus. The rareness of the tumor makes the diagnosis difficult. Malignant cartilage tumors typically have an unstable radiographic appearance.

Relationship between insulin resistance assessed by HOMA-IR and exercise test variables in asymptomatic middle-aged patients with type 2 diabetes.

Unlabelled: We investigated the relationship between index of insulin resistance (IR) and exercise test variables in middle-aged asymptomatic patients with Type 2 diabetes.

Methods: 90 patients (48 men, 42 women; age: 49 +/- 6 yr) were included in the study. We used homeostasis model assessment for IR (HOMA-IR) index as index of IR.

Henoch-Schönlein purpura in two brothers imprisoned in the same jail: presentation two months apart.

We present two brothers who came to us with similar complaints within a two-month interval and who were diagnosed as having Henoch-Schönlein purpura. Interestingly, the two brothers were prisoners in the same jail. In addition, we shall review the small number of familial Henoch-Schönlein purpura cases that have been reported in the literature to date.

An interesting presentation of intrathoracic extramedullary hematopoiesis in a patient with thalassemia intermedia.

Extramedullary hematopoiesis (EMH) occurs as a compensatory mechanism for bone marrow dysfunction in severe thalassemia. In addition to the more common locations, such as liver, spleen and lymph nodes, a mass of EMH may occasionally occur in the thorax. Intrathoracic EMH is usually asymptomatic.

Paratesticular rhabdomyosarcoma in a 2-year-old boy.

Paratesticular rhabdomyosarcoma is a rare but highly malign tumor. We report a case of paratesticular rhabdomyosarcoma and discuss the management of this neoplasm in the light of the literature.

Intraerythrocytic potassium levels and early insulin release in children with moderate malnutrition.

Potassium deficiency and insulin releasing defect in severe protein-energy malnutrition (PEM) have been reported previously. The aim of this study was to investigate the existence of potassium deficiency and early insulin releasing defect in moderate PEM, which is more common in children. This study was carried out prospectively in the Pediatrics Department at Trakya University.

Thrombosis in systemic lupus erythematosus: effect of inherited thrombophilic mutations.

Thrombosis in the venous or arterial system is quite common in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). We describe a young female patient whose first presentation was in the form of deep venous thrombosis of the right lower extremity. Her family history for thrombosis was positive and further studies revealed her to have SLE.

Granulosa cell tumor of the ovary: retrospective analysis of 45 cases.

Adult granulosa cell tumors of the ovary are rare neoplasms, accounting for less than 5% of all ovarian malignancies. In addition to the tumor stage, residual disease, patient age, tumor size, extent of surgery, and also some histologic factors have been reported to be of prognostic importance. Tumor registries were screened for all patients treated between 1979 and 1998 for ovarian tumors at the University of Istanbul.

Metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the skin in chronic myeloid leukaemia: complication of hydroxyurea therapy.

Hydroxyurea is a ribonucleotide diphosphate reductase inhibitor used in the treatment of patients with myeloproliferative disorders. Hydroxyurea has some dermatological side-effects. It has recently been recognized that hydroxyurea can induce squamous cell and basal cell carcinomas of skin.

Risk factors of status epilepticus in children.

Background: Although there is abundant literature about the morbidity and mortality rates of status epilepticus (SE), little is known about the risk factors of this medical emergency. The aim of the present study is to assess the risk factors of SE in children.

Methods: The authors reviewed the medical records of 83 patients admitted to the Pediatric Neurology Unit of Trakya University Hospital, Edirne, Turkey from January 1994 to December 2001 with the diagnosis of SE.