Effect of EGF on Bax, Bcl-2 and Fas expression in ulcerous disease and N87 cell line.

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the effect of epithelial growth factor (EGF) in primary culture of ulcer patients and N87 cell line on expressions of apoptotic genes. METHODS: Ulcer patients who attended Gastroenterology Clinic of Mersin University Medical Faculty were included in this study. Three different doses of EGF were applied to the primary culture of biopsy samples from ulcer patients and gastric cancer cell-line (ATCC-NCI-N87) . The expression levels of Bax, Bcl-2 and Fas genes were measured with quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). RESULTS: ΔΔCT analysis with qRT-PCR revealed no significant change in gene expression of Bax, Bcl-2 or Fas within the ulcer, normal tissue and gastric cancer. No significant change was determined between Bax and Bcl-2 gene expression levels and applied EGF doses when groups were compared for each EGF dose. On the other hand, when 50 ng/µl of EGF was administered, Fas mRNA expression level was significantly lower in the gastric cancer cell line compared to patients with ulcer and normal gastroduodenal tissue (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: In this study which was done with a restricted patient group, our results revealed that apoptosis induced by Fas expression in gastroduodenal suppressing carcinogenesis process plays an active role in gaining anti-apoptotic properties of cells (Tab. 4, Fig. 2, Ref. 27).

The value of placental protein 13, ß-human chorionic gonadotropin and progesterone in the prediction of miscarriages in threatened miscarriage patients.

The aim of this paper was to investigate the levels of maternal serum placental protein13 (PP13), beta human chorionic gonadotropin (ß-hCG) and progesterone in the prediction of miscarriages in threatened miscarriages. A total of 110 patients with a gestational age < 14 weeks were included in the study. A total of 42 patients were allocated as the study group (threatened miscarriage) and 68 patients were allocated as controls. A total of six miscarriages were observed in the study group. ß-hCG levels were significantly lower in the group with threatened miscarriage when compared with controls (p = 0.018). There was no statistically significant difference in regard to progesterone and PP13 levels occurred between two groups (p = 0.653 and p = 0.062, respectively). Following receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis, the ß-hCG parameter was found useful in differentiating miscarriages from the threatened miscarriage group (p = 0.031). PP13 and progesterone parameters in predicting miscarriages were not found as statistically significant (p = 0.084 and p = 0.914, respectively). This study suggests that ß-hCG measurements could be useful in predicting spontaneous miscarriage in women presenting with threatened miscarriage. Even though PP13 seems unfeasible to be used as a predictive marker for miscarriage, factors affecting PP13 levels should be considered along with the need for comprehensive studies including larger patient populations.

Thrombocytopenia in pregnancy: do the time of diagnosis and delivery route affect pregnancy outcome in parturients with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura?

The objective of this study was to investigate the determining effects of diagnosis time on pregnancy outcomes in a population of pregnant women with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP). Records of all the pregnant women with thrombocytopenia were evaluated. Those with a confirmed diagnosis of ITP were included in the study. Main outcome measures were antenatal thrombocyte count, postpartum haemorrhage rate, and route of delivery. Foetal outcomes such as foetal thrombocyte count, haemorrhage, and birth weight were also reported as secondary outcome measures. Time of diagnosis either antenatal or preconception did not significantly alter the investigated parameters. Delivery route had no impact on complication rates. Time of diagnosis also did not affect treatment modality. ITP is rare disorder accounting for less than 5 % of all pregnant thrombocytopenias. Time of diagnosis does not affect maternal-foetal outcomes or treatment modality unless diagnosis is made during labour. Compared to gestational thrombocytopenia, treatment rates may differ but treatment modalities remain the same and the effort put into making the differential should be weighed against maternal stress factors for lengthy laboratory evaluation as long as the thrombocytopenia is of pure nature without any systemic involvement.

Closure vs non-closure of peritoneum at caesarean section: evaluation of pain.

We evaluated the effect of closure or non-closure of parietal and visceral peritoneum during caesarean section (CS) on post-caesarean pain and analgesic requirement. A total of 94 primigravidas planned for elective CS were prospectively enrolled into closure (n = 46) and non-closure (n = 48) groups. Analgesia was provided by a patient-controlled analgesia pump (PCA) postoperatively. Pain was evaluated using a visual analogue scale (VAS) and verbal rating scale (VRS). Total dose of analgesics administered through PCA and times of analgesia demand and additional analgesics were also assessed. VAS and VRS scores were similar between the groups. The total dose of analgesics administered were similar (p = 0.095) between groups, however the mean number of analgesic demand (p = 0.020) and the additional analgesics (p < 0.001) were higher in the closure group. As a conclusion, the closure or non-closure of the peritoneum does not have any impact on postoperative pain intensity, however the analgesia demand and additional analgesia requirement decreases with non-closure.

Analysis of the SRY gene in a girl with 45,X/46,XY genotype.

Analysis of the SRY gene in a girl with 45,X/46,XY genotype: We present a Turner syndrome patient with a 45, X/46, XY mosaicism. A seven-year-old patient was admitted to our laboratory for evaluation of Turner Syndrome. On physical examination, short stature, a webbed neck, a broad chest with widely spaced nipples, syndactyly on toes, horse shoe kidney and typical findings of aortic coarctation were present. The chromosome karyotype of the patient was 45 X/46 XY. Molecular analysis of the blood lymphocytes confirmed the presence of the SRY gene of the patient. We report here the clinical and cytogenetic findings in a patient with an unusual sex chromosome mosaicism.

Turner syndrome and 45,X/47,XXX mosaicism.

The occurrence of double aneuploidy is a relatively rare phenomenon. We report on a 17-year-old woman with short stature, minimal pubic and axillar hair and short hands. In cultured lymphocyte a double aneuploidy mosaicism was detected, consisting of a cell line with trisomy for X chromosome and a cell line with monosomy for the X-chromosome and no cell line with a normal karyotype. To our knowledge, this is the first case of mosaic 45,X/47,XXX in Turkey.

A male case with double aneuploidy (48,XXY,+21).

The co-occurrence of two numerical chromosomal abnormalities in same individual (double aneuploidy) is relatively rare and the clinical presentations are variable depending on the predominating aneuploidy or a combination effect of both. Furthermore, double aneuploidy involving both autosomal and sex chromosomes is seldom described. We describe a male patient with typical clinical features of Down Syndrome and his karyotype revealed 48,XXY,+21. The phenotypic characteristics of this child have been discussed in the light of the published reports on double aneuploidies of XXY and trisomy 21.

Serum concentrations of lipids and apolipoproteins in normal and hyperemetic pregnancies.

OBJECTIVE: Hyperemesis gravidarum (HEG) is intractable nausea and vomiting. The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that women with HEG have lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels, to find any role in the etiology of reduced risk of spontaneous abortion in hyperemetic patients. STUDY DESIGN: The study group consisted of 39 women with normal ongoing pregnancy and 35 women with HEG. The concentrations of triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, total cholesterol and apolipoprotein (apo)-A and -B were analyzed. The independent-samples t test, Mann-Whitney U test, chi2 test, Kruskal-Wallis variance analysis and Spearman's correlation were used to examine differences between groups. RESULTS: Serum HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and total cholesterol, apo-A and apo-B were higher in normal pregnancies compared with hyperemetic pregnancies. There were no significant differences in apo-B/apo-A, HDL cholesterol/apo-A and total cholesterol/HDL cholesterol ratios between the hyperemetic patients and controls. A negative correlation was found between total cholesterol and serum thyroxine level. CONCLUSION: We found decreased levels of total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, apo-A and apo-B in hyperemetic patients and the same spontaneous abortion rate in the two groups in our study.

An investigation of effects of toluene and cigarette smoking on some blood parameters and lymphocyte life span.

As toluene is an organic solvent, its cytotoxic effect on the cell is known. Similarly, it has been demonstrated that many of the chemical agents that enter the body through smoking have cytotoxic and genotoxic effects on the cells. In this study, the effects of these two toxic agents, both separately and in combination, on leukocyte counts, lymphocyte counts and mitotic index values were investigated. The study was carried out on blood samples of 100 males, divided into four groups: 25 non-smokers and 25 smokers, 25 toluene-exposed non-smokers and 25 no toluene-exposed smokers. The blood cell values of the blood samples were determined automatically on the hemogram apparatus. In addition slides of the blood samples were prepared according to the chromosome analysis procedure and the mitotic index values were determined through microscopy. The possible effects of smoking and toluene on lymphocyte life span was considered by correlating mitotic index values with lymphocyte counts in the same way for each of the subgroups. Results revealed that leukocyte counts and mitotic index values were higher in the smokers than the non-smokers whether or not they had been exposed to toluene. In addition the results indicate that lymphocyte life span may be shortened due to cigarette smoking and toluene exposure.

Effects of X-rays and cigarette smoking on leukocyte, lymphocyte and mitotic index values and SCE rates: the relationship between mitotic index and lymphocyte count.

Many previous studies revealed that smoking increases leukocyte and lymphocyte counts while exposure to X-rays decreases these counts. However the relationships between lymphocyte life span and smoking as well as X-rays were not well documented. The primary aim of this study was to determine relationships between smoking X-rays (in combination and individually) and life span of lymphocytes. Blood samples from 200 healthy individuals, half of which were X-ray exposed individuals, were collected. Half of X-ray exposed and of non-X-ray exposed individuals were smokers. There were equal numbers of male and female participants. Two lymphocyte cultures, one for the sister chromatid exchange (SCE) analysis and the other for the determination of mitotic index values were prepared using one part of the blood samples collected from the individuals. From the other part of the blood sample leukocyte and lymphocyte counts were determined with a haemogram device. Evaluation of the findings suggested that leukocyte count, lymphocyte count, mitotic index were relatively lower for the X-ray exposed individuals. In addition these values were higher for smokers than nonsmokers in general. The highest SCE rates were recorded for smoking radiology technicians. The most important finding is that lymphocyte life span is relatively low in smokers and in X-ray exposed males.

Expressions of proliferation markers (Ki-67, proliferating cell nuclear antigen, and silver-staining nucleolar organizer regions) and of p53 tumor protein in gestational trophoblastic disease.

OBJECTIVE: This study was undertaken to determine whether the expressions of 3 proliferation markers (Ki-67, proliferating cell nuclear antigen, and silver-staining nucleolar organizer regions) and of p53 tumor protein could differentiate spontaneous abortions from gestational trophoblastic diseases and also discriminate among gestational trophoblastic disease subgroups. STUDY DESIGN: Twenty-two partial hydatidiform moles, 17 complete hydatidiform moles, 6 invasive hydatidiform moles, and 20 nonhydropic spontaneous abortions (control group) were evaluated by means of immunohistochemical techniques with antibodies to Ki-67, proliferating cell nuclear antigen, and p53. One-step silver staining was used to detect silver-staining nucleolar organizer regions. RESULTS: The expressions of Ki-67, proliferating cell nuclear antigen, silver-staining nucleolar organizer regions, and p53 were significantly higher in the gestational trophoblastic disease group than in the control group. The results of linear discriminant analysis showed that silver-staining nucleolar organizer region count had the highest sensitivity and specificity (93.3% and 100%, respectively) for distinguishing gestational trophoblastic disease from spontaneous abortion. Sensitivity and specificity for discriminating gestational trophoblastic disease from spontaneous abortion increased to 100% when all four markers were used together. Proliferating cell nuclear antigen was found to be the best discriminating variable for differentiating among gestational trophoblastic disease subgroups. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that expressions of Ki-67, proliferating cell nuclear antigen, silver-staining nucleolar organizer regions, and p53 may aid in the diagnosis of gestational trophoblastic diseases. These fairly rapid, simple, and economic techniques could serve as a useful adjunct to conventional methods in the diagnosis of gestational trophoblastic diseases.

Treatment and results of chronic toxoplasmosis. Analysis of 33 cases.

Women who grew up in Turkey, where undercooked meat is part of the usual diet, have an increased risk of toxoplasmosis. This study covers treatment and prognosis of 33 cases with chronic toxoplasmosis. The study group was selected among the patients with a history of repeated abortions, recurrent preterm labor, stillbirths and babies with congenital anomaly after all other causative reasons were ruled out. IgG and IgM antibody titers were detected by Sabin-Feldman's dye test and indirect fluorescence antibody test. 33 patients, who had negative IgM and IgG antibody titers above 1/64, were accepted as having chronic toxoplasmosis and were included in our study group. These patients were treated with our pyrimethamine treatment protocol (Dinçer Formula) for 36 days before their pregnancies. IgG antibody titers were repeated in the 8th and the 20th week of pregnancy. With the exception of 7 cases, 24 patients (72.7%) still had IgG antibody titers of more than 1/64 and were given the same treatment protocol in the 8th week of pregnancy. Very early abortions occurred in 2 cases. Of 24 patients, 8 had antibody titers still above 1/64 and were treated with spiramycine. While 28 cases (84.8%) had healthy and living infants, pregnancies of 3 cases are still continuing. No teratogenic effects of pyrimethamine on the fetuses were seen. As a result, we can say that a patient who presents with complaints of repeated abortions, recurrent preterm labor or stillbirth should be investigated for toxoplasmosis during pregnancy; even if the IgG antibody test is normal before pregnancy, she should be treated with the protocol mentioned above before pregnancy and in the 8th week of pregnancy when chronic toxoplasmosis is diagnosed.