Mean platelet (PLT) activation has an important role in the development of vascular diseases. In this study, we aimed to investigate the PLT volume in patients with vasculogenic and nonvasculogenic ...erectile dysfunction (ED) and compare it with the control group. Mean PLT volume (MPV) levels were measured in 50 patients with vasculogenic ED, in 30 patients who developed ED after radical prostatectomy (nonvasculogenic) and in 40 healthy controls. Ages were similar between the three groups. The diagnosis of ED was based on detailed sexual history, physical examination, laboratory assessment and color Doppler ultrasonography and is defined as the inability to attain or maintain a penile erection that is sufficient for successful vaginal intercourse. The results are given as mean ± s.d. of the mean. The mean age of the patients with vasculogenic ED, of patients with ED after radical prostatectomy and of the control group were 53.70 ± 12.39 (range 24-77), 54.60 ± 11.40 (range 43-61) and 53.85 ± 9.5 (range 30-73), respectively (P = 0.853). The MPV and PLT values were significantly higher in patients with vasculogenic ED than in patients with ED after radical prostatectomy and in control groups: 7.49 ± 1.4, 6.43 ± 1.19 and 6.85 ± 1.2 for MPV and 262.97 ± 68, 251.77 ± 78 and 252.89 ± 82 for PLT values, respectively (P = 0.033). The MPV and PLT values were not statistically significant in postprostatectomy ED patients and in control groups (P = 0.663). There was no significant difference among the three groups in terms of white blood cells and hemoglobin levels. PLT count and mean PLT volume were detected to be increased in patients with vasculogenic ED. This finding may suggest a role for PLT volume in the pathogenesis of vasculogenic ED.
Abstract Purpose To prospectively compare the diagnostic capabilities of quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM) with those of phase images of susceptibility-weighted imaging (SWI) in the detection ...and differentiation of intracranial calcification and hemorrhage in pediatric patients. Method Sixteen pediatric patients (9 girls, 7 boys) with a mean age of 9.4 ± 6.3 (SD) years (range, 6 days–15 years) were included. Fifty-nine calcifications and 31 hemorrhages were detected. Sensitivities and specificities of the two magnetic resonance (MR) imaging techniques were calculated and compared using McNemar test. Results QSM had a sensitivity of 84.7% and specificity of 100% for the detection of calcification. SWI phase images had a sensitivity of 49.1% and specificity of 100%. For the detection of hemorrhage, QSM had a sensitivity of 90.3% and a specificity of 98.3% whereas SWI phase images yielded a sensitivity of 64.5% and specificity of 96.6%. Overall, QSM displayed significantly better sensitivity than SWI phase images in identification of calcification and hemorrhage ( P < 0.05). Conclusion QSM is more reliable than SWI phase images in the identification of intracranial calcification and hemorrhage in pediatric patients using MR imaging.
In the past few decades, high-speed railways have become an important transportation system due to their high operational speed, and globally, the networks of these railways have been extended. In ...addition, there is ongoing work on the construction of new high-speed railways as well as improving existing lines to achieve the same operational speed. To contribute to high-speed railway works in Turkey, this study compared two high-speed railway lines; an existing conventional line, the design of which was improved, and a new high-speed line. The design of an existing conventional railway line was improved according to optimal geometric characteristics of high-speed railways and an alternative line was simulated. These two lines were evaluated on three different types of land in terms of the required volume of earthworks, engineering structures and total cost. The results show that the length of the conventional line was reduced after the improvement process; however, new engineering structures are needed. Furthermore, compared to the alternative line, the track length and total length of engineering structures required for the improvement of the existing line was shorter and the volume of required earthworks was less resulting in lower costs.
Summary
Paraoxonase and arylesterase enzymes are corner stones of antioxidant defence. We aimed to compare azoospermic infertile men and normozoospermic individuals with respect to total antioxidant ...status (TAS), total oxidant status (TOS), oxidative stress index (OSI), paraoxonase and arylesterase levels in the blood and seminal plasma. Two‐hundred consecutive infertility patients and voluntarily participated were included. In the normozoospermic group, TAS, PON, arylesterase values were statistically significantly higher when compared with those in the azoospermic group, while lower TOS and OSI levels were observed in the blood and seminal plasma of azoospermic group. In the semen analyses of normozoospermic group, the correlation between semen volume, sperm concentration, sperm motility and morphology and TAS, TOS, OSI, PON and arylesterase values was examined. A negative correlation was determined between semen volume and OSI. Levels of serum oxidative parameters were higher in the azoospermic group relative to normozoospermic group, but antioxidant parameters were lower than those of the normozoospermic group. Oxidative stress performs an essential role in the aetiology of male infertility by negatively influencing sperm quality and function. Assessment of blood and seminal plasma oxidative profiles might be an important tool to better evaluation of sperm reproductive capacity and functional competence.
Purpose
To evaluate and compare data on corneal healing from randomised clinical trials (RCTs) in adult patients with progressive keratoconus undergoing epithelium‐off corneal collagen cross‐linking ...(epi‐off CXL) and receiving a regenerating agent (RGTA).
Methods
An individual study review and a meta‐analysis were performed by searching RCTs assessing the effect of RGTA (Cacicol®) postoperatively used for keratoconus. We focused on the outcome related to corneal healing and epithelial defect size measured by slit lamp/photography with fluorescein staining or optical coherence tomography. Other endpoints related to symptoms included ocular pain, burning, stinging, tearing, photophobia, conjunctival hyperaemia, and postooperative consumption of analgesics.
Results
Three RCTs were identified for the meta‐analysis including 118 patients (136 eyes) in total. The individual review showed faster reepithelialisation after instillations of RGTA compared to standard postoperative treatment (respectively, 83.3 vs. 13.3% of patients healed at day 2 postoperatively, p < 0.001), to artificial tears (61.1 vs. 11.1% at day 3, p = 0.002) and to hyaluronic acid (4.4 ± 1.3 vs. 6.1 ± 2.3 days for complete healing, p = 0.008). The meta‐analysis showed that instantaneous chances of achieving complete healing over time were with RGTA twice as high as with control (Hazard ratio: 2.01; 95% confidence interval: 1.64; 2.47; p < 0.001). The overall safety profile of RGTA was found to be satisfactory.
Conclusions
Instillation of RGTA facilitates corneal epithelial healing after epi‐off CXL in patients with progressive keratoconus.
This present work investigates the dynamical behaviors of a new form of fractional order three dimensional system with a chaotic attractor of the one-scroll structure and its discretized counterpart. ...Firstly, existence and parametric conditions for local stability analysis of steady states of the model are addressed. Then the bifurcation theory is applied to investigate the presence of Neimark - Sacker (NS) bifurcations at the coexistence steady state taking the time delay as a bifurcation parameter in the discrete fractional order system. Also the trajectories, phase diagrams, limit cycles, bifurcation diagrams, attractors for period - 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and a chaotic attractor with one scroll are exhibited for biologically meaningful sets of parameter values in the discretized system. Finally, several numerical examples are presented to assure the validity of the theoretical results and further rich dynamics of the model is explored as well.
Abstract Purpose To evaluate diffusion characteristics of tubers and white matter lesions in children with tuberous sclerosis (TS) using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). Materials and methods Eighteen ...children (11 male, 7 female; mean age 9.3 years, age range 1–16 years) with a definite diagnosis of TS were recruited in this study. Apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), fractional anisotropy (FA), radial diffusivity (RD), and axial diffusivity (AD) values in 89 tubers and 37 white matter lesions were measured and compared with those of contralateral normal regions. Results ADC, AD, and RD values were significantly higher and FA values were lower in lesions, than the ones measured in contralateral normal regions for tubers ( P < 0.001). Similarly RD values were significantly higher and FA values were lower in white matter lesions ( P < 0.05). ADC and AD measures were detected to increase in white matter lesions, however no statistically significant difference was observed. The increase in the mean values of RD was significantly greater than the increase in the AD values for tubers and white matter lesions ( P < 0.05). Conclusion DTI can provide valuable information about the cytoarchitectural changes in TS lesions beyond morphologic MRI findings alone.
The present study aimed to analyze the early soft tissue healing characteristics and Fractal Dimension (FD) of extraction sockets preserved by Leukocyte-platelet-rich fibrin (L-PRF) and titanium ...prepared platelet-rich fibrin (T-PRF).
57 single-tooth extraction sockets were included in the study, three groups were prepared: post-extraction sockets filled with L-PRF (n=19) and T-PRF (n=19), and control group; naturally healing sockets (n=19). Three months after tooth extraction, FD measurement was made in the center of the healing socket. The Landry Wound Healing Index (LWHI) and H2O2 bubbling test results for the complete wound epithelization (CWE) rates were recorded 1 and 2 weeks postoperatively. All patients were asked to record a visual analog scale (VAS) value for pain and the number of analgesics taken during the 3 days after the extraction.
CWE using H2O2 test result showed a significantly lower rate in the controls than in L-PRF and T-PRF groups at 1st week. At 2nd weeks, both of the test groups showed 100% CWE compared with only 40.7% in the control group. The VAS pain score was significantly higher in the control group than in L-PRF and T-PRF groups on the 1st day. However, no significant difference was found among the groups on 2nd day. FD value of control group was significantly lower than the L-PRF group and T-PRF group.
T-PRF and L-PRF similarly enhanced wound epithelization and reduced postoperative discomfort at extraction sockets. The T-PRF procedure resulted in higher FD compared to the L-PRF and control group.
This study aimed to investigate the role of protein peroxidation by detecting the serum levels of advanced oxidation protein products (AOPP), a novel marker for the degree of oxidative damage to ...proteins, and total thiol as a marker of antioxidant status in diabetic patients with or without diabetic retinopathy (DR) and to compare the results with those of control subjects.
The study groups consisted of two separate subgroups: 1) 37 patients (14 male, 23 female) with noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) showing diabetic retinopathy (DR) and 2) 20 patients with NIDDM and without any signs of DR (9 male, 11 female); 26 healthy non-diabetic control subjects (15 male, 11 female) were selected from the patients attending our department for refractive disorders. Venous blood samples of all participants were collected in the morning after an overnight fast, and serum samples storedat -70 degrees C until assay for AOPP, and total thiol.
AOPP levels were significantly higher in diabetic patients with (210.9+/-73.0 micronmol/L) or without DR (222.7+/-94.4 micronmol/L) when compared to those of controls (152.4+/-72.04 micronmol/L) (p=0.004). Even though the difference was not statistically significant (p=0.095), total thiol levels in cases with DR (278.7+/-139.1 micronmol/L) were lower than those without DR (334.0+/-129.4 micronmol/L) and controls (353.2+/-145.6 micronmol/L). Correlation tests did not reveal any association between these parameters and age, sex, or duration of DM.
The present study suggests that increased protein oxidation may contribute to the pathogenesis of DR.
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