We aimed to evaluate the effects of caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) on lithium (Li)-induced lung toxicity.
Twenty-two adult male Wistar albino rats weighing between 280 and 300 g were used. The ...rats were randomly divided into three groups: control, Li and Li+CAPE groups. Li and CAPE were co-administered intraperitoneally twice daily for 4 weeks. Control rats were given 0.9% NaCl during the same period. All the rats were allowed to feed ad libitum until midnight after they had received the proposed treatment.
In the Li group, peribronchial and intraparenchymal lymphocyte and macrophage infiltration were observed. Atypical type II pneumocytes, alveolar destruction and emphysematous changes were also detected. Lymphocyte and macrophage infiltration was significantly decreased in the Li+CAPE group compared with the Li group. Alveolar destruction, emphysematous changes and intraparenchymal mononuclear cell infiltration were also recovered to a level close to the control group. Malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were increased in the Li group compared with the control group. CAPE administration decreased the MDA levels in the Li+CAPE group.
CAPE was found to associate with histopatho- logical changes recovery in the lungs and oxidative stress due to Li treatment.
Acremonium spp. are filamentous, cosmopolitan fungi frequently isolated from plant debris and soil, they are known to result in invasive infections in the setting of severe immunosuppression. In this ...letter, we present a case of catheter-related fungaemia associated with Acremonium spp. in a patient with chronic renal failure. After removal of the subclavian catheter, the patient was treated successfully with voriconazole, with a loading dose of 400 mg followed by a maintenance dose of 200 mg bid. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first paper reporting Acremonium spp. associated fungaemia in a relatively immunocompetent host. We also discuss the diagnosis and treatment of Acremonium spp. associated infections in the context of current literature.
Glucocorticoids (GC) are widely accepted as the standard first-line treatment for giant cell arteritis (GCA). However, relapse rates are reported up to 80% on GC-only protocol arms in controlled ...trials of tocilizumab and abatacept in 12-24 months. Herein, we aimed to assess the real-life relapse rates retrospectively in patients with GCA from Turkey.
We assembled a retrospective cohort of patients with GCA diagnosed according to ACR 1990 criteria from tertiary rheumatology centres in Turkey. All clinical data were abstracted from medical records. Relapse was defined as any new manifestation or increased acutephase response leading to the change of the GC dose or use of a new therapeutic agent by the treating physician.
The study included 330 (F/M: 196/134) patients with GCA. The mean age at disease onset was 68.9±9 years. The most frequent symptom was headache. Polymyalgia rheumatica was also present in 81 (24.5%) patients. Elevation of acute phase reactants (ESR>50 mm/h or CRP>5 mg/l) was absent in 25 (7.6%) patients at diagnosis. Temporal artery biopsy was available in 241 (73%) patients, and 180 of them had positive histopathological findings for GCA. For remission induction, GC pulses (250-1000 methylprednisolone mg/3-7 days) were given to 69 (20.9%) patients, with further 0.5-1 mg/kg/day prednisolone continued in the whole group. Immunosuppressives as GC-sparing agents were used in 252 (76.4%) patients. During a follow-up of a median 26.5 (6-190) months, relapses occurred in 49 (18.8%) patients. No confounding factor was observed in relapse rates. GC treatment could be stopped in only 62 (23.8%) patients. Additionally, GC-related side effects developed in 64 (24.6%) patients, and 141 (66.2%) had at least one Vasculitis Damage Index (VDI) damage item present during follow-up.
In this first multi-centre series of GCA from Turkey, we observed that only one-fifth of patients had relapses during a mean follow-up of 26 months, with 76.4% given a GC-sparing IS agent at diagnosis. At the end of follow-up, GC-related side effects developed in one-fourth of patients. Our results suggest that patients with GCA had a low relapse rate in real-life experience of a multi-centre retrospective Turkish registry, however with a significant presence of GC-associated side effects during follow-up.
High density lipoprotein (HDL), a powerful antioxidant, protects low density lipoprotein (LDL) particles against oxidative stress. By limiting LDL oxidation, HDL plays an important role in preventing ...atherosclerosis (AS). The antioxidant effect of HDL is mostly associated with the paraoxonase (PON1) activity. It has been known that increased aortic intima-media thickness (IMT) is an earlier marker AS than carotid IMT. We aimed to investigate the association between thoracic aortic IMT and serum PON1 activity. We studied 133 patients (mean age: 46.3 ± 8 years) who underwent transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) for various indications. The measurements of thoracic aortic IMT by TEE are classified into four grades (1, 2, 3 and 4). Serum PON1 activity was measured spectrophotometrically. Oxidative and anti-oxidative status was evaluated by measuring serum lipid hydroperoxide (LOOH), total anti-oxidant status (TAS). Serum PON1 activity was progressively decreasing from grade 1 IMT to grade 4 IMT (
p
< 0.001). However, serum LOOH was significantly lower and TAS was significantly higher in patients with grade 1 when compared with other grades. In multiple linear regression analysis, IMT was independently correlated with PON1 activity (β = −0.495,
p
< 0.001), TAS level (β = −196,
p
< 0.009), age (β = 0.145,
p
= 0.029) and LDL cholesterol level (β = 0.169,
p
= 0.009). Decreased PON1 activity was independently associated with the extent of thoracic AS. PON1 activity may play a role in pathogenesis of thoracic AS besides age, TAS and LDL cholesterol levels.
The idea of morphing is drawing extensive attention in aerospace technologies. Several different approaches like span, camber, twist, and sweep are finding applications. In this work, the concept of ...a trailing edge control surface which is capable of performing decamber morphing is explained. The upper and lower parts of the control surface undergo different chordwise elongations and the difference between these displacements gives rise to either camber or decamber morphing. The necessary force is achieved by the help of servo actuators. During the design, the structural analyses were done to determine the best viable options for the number of servo actuators, the location of the servo actuators, and the material properties used in the control surface. The control surface was designed of aluminum, composite and compliant materials hence was called a hybrid one. The structural analyses were conducted by using ANSYS® Workbench v14.0 package program. After finding the best viable design, which was made for in vacuo condition, the proposed design was also verified under the simulated aerodynamic loading. The aerodynamic loads were obtained from CFD analyses which were done with SU2 V3.2.3 open-source flow solver.
In this study, Higgs production processes, Higgsstrahlung and vector boson (W
and Z) fusion processes, were investigated for four different future lepton
colliders (CEPC, ILC, CLIC, and FCC-ee). The ...cross sections for each production
process and corresponding backgrounds were calculated considering the ISR and
beamstrahlung effects. Various cuts and the b-tagging method were used to
reduce the background. Finally, the number of events for each collider was
determined, and significance calculations were performed. In our calculations,
high event numbers were obtained for all four colliders for the Higgsstrahlung,
W, and Z fusion process. This shows that electron-positron colliders will play
an important role in future Higgs physics research.
Deviation of the mandible toward the resected side is dependent upon the amount of soft and hard tissue resected, the method of surgical site closure, the degree of impaired tongue function, the ...presence and condition of teeth, the loss of proprioceptive sense of occlusion, and the timing of prosthodontic therapy. Prosthodontic therapy combined with physical therapy may be beneficial for reducing and minimizing mandibular deviation. This clinical report describes the fabrication of cast metal guidance flange prostheses. The supporting flanges assist in controlling mandibular deviation and coordinate masticatory movements for a patient following a segmental mandibulectomy.
Abstract Purpose Metabolic bone disorders are very common in the elderly population. As fingernail clippings are easily available for analysis, this makes them an interesting screening instrument for ...stored mineral components in the body. Measurements of calcium concentrations in fingernail clippings are thought to give some insight into their value as an alternative screening test for metabolic bone disorders and our aim was to determine whether fingernail calcium concentrations could be used for this purpose. Patients and methods This is a cross-sectional study, carried out in a Geriatric medicine outpatient clinic of a university hospital. A total of 159 patients with a mean age of 72.1 ± 5.8 years were involved. Fingernail calcium levels were analyzed with atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Results There was no statistically significant difference in nail calcium levels between osteoporotic and non-osteoporotic patients and similarly between vitamin D deficient and normal patients. The correlation between nail calcium concentrations and femur neck t-score and serum 25-OH vitamin D levels was very weak and non-significant. Conclusion We found no change in nail calcium concentrations in osteoporosis and vitamin D deficiency, and therefore nail calcium measurements do not seem to be a good alternative screening instrument for metabolic bone disorders in the elderly.
PDF
