The role of the double layer for the pseudocapacitance of the hydrogen adsorption on platinum.

Pseudocapacitances such as the hydrogen adsorption on platinum (HAoPt) are associated with faradaic chemical processes that appear as capacitive in their potentiodynamic response, which was reported to result from the kinetics of adsorption processes. This study discusses an alternative interpretation of the partly capacitive response of the HAoPt that is based on the proton transport of ad- or desorbed hydrogen in the double layer. Potentiodynamic perturbations of equilibrated surface states of the HAoPt lead to typical double layer responses with the characteristic resistive-capacitive relaxations that overshadow the fast adsorption kinetics. A potential-dependent double layer representation by a dynamic transmission line model incorporates the HAoPt in terms of capacitive contributions and can computationally reconstruct the charge exchanged in full range cyclic voltammetry data. The coupling of charge transfer with double layer dynamics displays a novel physicochemical theory to explain the phenomenon of pseudocapacitance and the mechanisms in thereon based supercapacitors.

Evaluation of mean gray values of a cat with chronic renal failure: case report / [Avaliação dos valores médios de cinza em um gato com insuficiência renal crônica: relato de caso]

In this case, a 12-year-old female domestic cat with chronic renal failure (CRF), which had lived longer than the mean survival time for cats with that condition, was monitored to evaluate the effects of treatment and mean gray value (MGV) changes. The cat has lived for nearly four years since the diagnosis. Probiotics have been used as an additional, classical supportive therapy since the beginning of treatment. The temporal changes in renal MGV were statistically evaluated in the last year of the four-year period. The cat had a comfortable existence and good body condition all her life and probiotic therapy may have had a positive influence post-CRF diagnosis. Ultrasonography (US) examination is a commonly used tool for monitoring the CRF situation, but it is not particularly sensitive. Therefore, MGV may be more useful for the quantitative evaluation of the extent of renal failure. Also, to the best of our knowledge, this is the first report for a long-term clinical evaluation of MGV in a cat with CRF. The aim of this case report was the evaluation of the relationship between MGV and clinical and biochemical changes in a cat with chronic renal failure.(AU)

No presente caso, uma gata doméstica de 12 anos com insuficiência renal crônica (IRC), que viveu mais do que o tempo médio de sobrevivência para gatos nessa condição, foi monitorada para avaliar os efeitos do tratamento e as alterações do valor cinza médio (MGV). A gata viveu quase quatro anos desde o diagnóstico. Os probióticos têm sido usados como uma terapia de suporte clássica adicional desde o início do tratamento. As alterações temporais do MGV renal foram avaliadas estatisticamente no último ano do período de quatro anos. A gata teve uma existência confortável e boas condições corporais durante toda a vida e a terapia com probióticos pode ter tido uma influência positiva após o diagnóstico de IRC. O exame de ultrassonografia (US) é uma ferramenta comumente usada para monitorar a situação da IRC, mas não é particularmente sensível. Portanto, o MGV pode ser mais útil para a avaliação quantitativa da extensão da insuficiência renal. Além disso, até onde se sabe, este é o primeiro relatório de uma avaliação clínica de longo prazo de MGV em um gato com IRC. O objetivo deste relato de caso foi avaliar a relação entre o MGV e as alterações clínicas e bioquímicas em um gato com insuficiência renal crônica.(AU)

CD11c expression in chronic lymphocytic leukemia revisited, related with complications and survival.

INTRODUCTION: Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is a disorder of mature but dysfunctional monoclonal B cells. Microenvironment, antigenic stimulation and genetical mutations are demonstrated in etiopathogenesis. We aimed to evaluate the expression of CD11c in patients with CLL and its possible clinical significance. METHODS: Data of 259 patients with CLL between 2010 and 2016 in Trakya University Faculty of Medicine, including age at diagnosis, sex, whole blood count, stage, percentage of CLL cells in bone marrow, line of treatments, development of Richter's transformation and secondary tumors, autoimmune complications, IgG level, prognostic cytogenetic analysis, and length of survival were recorded from files. RESULTS: 151 patients were male (58.3%) and 108 were male (41.7%). Mean age was 70 (21-92) years. CD11c was observed to be positive (>%20) in 103 patients (39.8%). Development of Richter's transformation, secondary tumors and ITP was significantly frequent in patients with CD11c positivity (P values .000, .003, .000 respectively). Also, IgG levels were significantly lower in this group (P = .000). Hemoglobin level, RAI stage and bone marrow CLL infiltration percentage were statistically related with CD11c (P values .036, .037, .000 respectively). Finally, CD11c was statistically related (in positive group 70 months, negative group 79 months, P = .001). CONCLUSION: CD11c, expressed not only in Hairy cell leukemia but also in dendritic cells, macrophages and monocytes is a differentiation marker for inflammation. Prolonged inflammation in the microenvironment of CLL cells may cause a susceptibility to autoimmune disorders and secondary tumors in CLL, in this way, an increase in mortality.

Mean platelet volume is related with ischemic stroke in patients with sinus rhythm.

Stroke is the leading cause of disability worldwide. It is known that atrial fibrillation and left atrial enlargement contribute ischemic stroke, and mean platelet volume (MPV) increases in patients with ischemic stroke and atrial fibrillation. We aimed to determine whether higher MPV is associated with ischemic stroke in patients with sinus rhythm. We evaluated 74 patients in sinus rhythm and with ischemic stroke (Group 1) and 90 age-matched and sex-matched healthy individuals as control group (Group 2). After physical and echocardiographic examination, 24-48 h Holter monitoring and complete blood counts were studied. There were no statistically significant differences in age, sex rates, and comorbidities between groups. Left atrial diameter was higher in Group 1 than Group 2 (P = 0.001), but both were in normal range. MPV was significantly higher in Group 1 (P < 0.001) and was an independent determinant [odds ratio (OR): 1.840; P < 0.001; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.330-2.545] of ischemic stroke with left atrial (OR: 1.138; P = 0.006; 95% CI 1.037-1.248). In conclusion, higher MPV is associated with acute ischemic stroke in patients with sinus rhythm and without heart failure or left atrial enlargement. MPV and left atrial diameter are independent predictors of ischemic stroke in this patient population.

High-sensitivity cardiac troponin T predicts nondipper hypertension in newly diagnosed hypertensive patients.

The increased prognostic accuracy of the high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T (hs-cTnT) assay vs the conventional cTnT assay has recently been reported in hypertensive patients. The authors aimed to investigate the significance of serum hs-cTnT marker for prediction of nondipper hypertension (HTN) in hypertensive patients. A total of 317 patients with newly diagnosed HTN were studied. The patients were divided into two groups: 198 dipper hypertensive patients (mean age, 51.7 ± 5.1 years) and 119 nondipper hypertensive patients (mean age, 53.4 ± 7.6 years). Hs-cTnT and N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) were measured in all patients. hs-cTnT and NT-proBNP were independent predictors for nondipper HTN (P<.05 for all). The cutoff value of hs-cTnT obtained by the receiver operator curve analysis was 7.55 ng/L for the prediction of nondipper HTN (sensitivity: 79%, specificity: 70%; 95% confidence interval, 0.769-0.860; P<.001). In patients with HTN, higher serum concentration of hs-cTnT even within normal range is an independent predictor of nondipper HTN.

Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D level is associated with aortic distensibility and left ventricle hypertrophy in newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus.

We aimed to evaluate the association between serum vitamin D status and elastic properties of aorta in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM). We studied 136 patients with newly diagnosed DM (mean age: 62.9 ± 10.6 years). Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D was measured using a direct competitive chemiluminescent immunoassay. Aortic distensibility was calculated from the echocardiographically derived ascending aorta diameters and haemodynamic pressure measurements. Left ventricle mass index (LVMI) was determined according to the Devereux formula. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that vitamin D level is independently associated with LVMI (ß = -0.259, p = 0.001), aortic distensibility (ß = 0.369, p < 0.001), high-sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) (ß = -0.220, p = 0.002) and body mass index (ß = -0.167, p = 0.015) in patients with DM. In diabetic patients, serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D level is independently associated with aortic distensibility. Vitamin D may play a role on pathogenesis of impaired elastic properties of aorta in type 2 DM.

SYNTAX score is a predictor of angiographic no-reflow in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction treated with a primary percutaneous coronary intervention.

OBJECTIVES: The no-reflow phenomenon has a negative prognostic value in patients with acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). The SYNTAX score (SS) quantifies the extent and complexity of angiographic disease and predicts long-term mortality and morbidity in STEMI. We aimed to assess the no-reflow and its possible relationships with SS and clinical characteristics in patients with STEMI treated with a primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI). MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this study, 880 patients with STEMI treated with PPCI were included prospectively (646 men and 234 women, mean age 58.5±12.4 years). The SS, thrombolysis in myocardial infarction (TIMI) flow grade score, and TIMI myocardial blush grade score were determined in all patients. No-reflow was defined as TIMI grade 0, 1 and 2 flows or TIMI grade 3 with myocardial blush grade 0 and 1. The patients were divided into two groups: a normal flow group and a no-reflow group. RESULTS: No-reflow was observed in 32.8% of patients. The mean SS of the no-reflow group was higher than that of the normal flow group (19.2±6.8/12.9±6.1, P<0.001). On multivariate logistic regression analysis, SS [ß=0.872, 95% confidence interval (CI)=0.845-0.899, P<0.001], diabetes (ß=0.767, 95% CI=0.128-4.597, P=0.004), anterior myocardial infarction (ß=5.421, 95% CI=1.369-21.469, P=0.025), and thrombus grade after wiring (ß=2.537, 95% CI=1.506-4.273, P<0.001) were found to be independent predictors of no-reflow. The cutoff value of SS obtained by the receiver-operator characteristic curve analysis was 19.75 for the prediction of no-reflow (sensitivity: 70.6%, specificity: 69.4%). CONCLUSION: The SS is a predictor of no-reflow in patients with STEMI treated with PPCI.

PAI-1 4G/5G gene polymorphism is associated with angiographic patency in ST-elevation myocardial infarction patients treated with thrombolytic therapy.

BACKGROUND: In this study, we examined the relationship between PAI-1 4G/5G polymorphism and patency of the infarct-related artery after thrombolysis in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). METHODS: Acute STEMI patients who received thrombolytic therapy within first 12 h were included in our study. The PAI-1 4G/5G promoter region insertion/deletion polymorphism was studied from venous blood samples. Patients with the PAI-1 4G/5G gene polymorphism were included in group 1 and the others were included in group 2. Coronary angiography was performed in all patients in the first 24 h after receiving thrombolytic therapy. Thrombolysis in myocardial infarction (TIMI) 0-1 flow in the infarct-related artery was considered as 'no flow', TIMI 2 flow as 'slow flow', and TIMI 3 flow as 'normal flow'. RESULTS: A total of 61 patients were included in our study. Thirty patients (49.2%) were positive for the PAI-1 4G/5G gene polymorphism, whereas 31 of them (50.8%) were in the control group. There were significantly more patients with 'no flow' (14 vs. 6; P=0.02) and less patients with 'normal flow' (8 vs. 19; P=0.02) in group 1. In addition, time to thrombolytic therapy (TTT) was maximum in the 'no flow' group and minimum in the 'normal flow' group (P=0.005). In the logistic regression analysis, TTT (odds ratio: 0.9898; 95% confidence interval: 0.982-0.997; P=0.004) and the PAI-1 4G/5G gene polymorphism (odds ratio: 4.621; 95% confidence interval: 1.399-15.268; P<0.01) were found to be independently associated with post-thrombolytic 'no flow'. CONCLUSION: The PAI-1 4G/5G gene polymorphism and TTT are associated independently with 'no flow' after thrombolysis in patients with STEMI.

Nontraumatic giant fat necrosis of the breast presenting as a rapidly growing tumor.

Nontraumatic rapid growing giant fat necrosis of the breast mimicking breast tumors is a rare clinical manifestation. The imaging features of the fat necrosis which range from benign to malign findings may be better explained with associated aetiology. The present paper reports a 54-year old woman with a rapid growing, fibrous, and hard giant mass originating in the subareolar region of the left breast. Mammography and magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated a heterogeneous, well circumscribed mass in 12 × 12 cm size in the left breast. The lesion was suspected as a malignant tumor and underwent core biopsy. The histopathology examination of the biopsy revealed mononuclear cells, foamy, vacuolated, and bubbly cells containing fat. Excision biopsy of the mass was performed and the final pathological diagnosis was confirmed as fat necrosis. The wide clinical and radiologic manifestations of fat necrosis are still difficult to diagnose even with the new diagnostic modalities and a great proportion of these lesions need a biopsy to diagnose.