Apoptosis in physiological root resorption of primary teeth.

Background: During physiological root resorption of deciduous teeth, apoptotic cell death triggered by physiological processes might play a role in physiological root resorption in addition to collagen destruction. Little information has been obtained about the sequence of events and the mechanism responsible for the physiological death of pulp tissue cells. Aim: This study evaluated apoptotic cell death in the pulp tissue of deciduous teeth that showed various levels of physiological root resorption. The role of apoptosis in pulp tissue elimination during the physiological resorption of deciduous teeth was also examined. Materials and Methods: For orthodontic reasons, 12 healthy permanent teeth and the pulp of 34 healthy deciduous teeth showing signs of early and advanced root resorption were extracted. To detect apoptotic cells in the pulp tissue, the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end-labeling (TUNEL) method and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were used. The apoptotic index (AI) values of the study groups were determined using the TUNEL method. This technique required calculating the Apoptag positive(+) fibroblast cell ratio in accordance with the total number of cells. Results: No statistically significant differences were found for the AI values of each study group (p>0.05). Apoptosis was detected in the vascular endothelial cells, the mononuclear inflammatory cells, and the odontoblasts of the connective pulp tissue. In the pulp tissue, evaluated using TEM, various pulp cells were observed at distinct stages of apoptosis. Conclusion: The similarity between the AI values for both study groups suggested that in early and advanced stages of resorption, apoptosis may contribute to the regulation of the pulp cell population in a way that does not relate to the physiological process of deciduous teeth root resorption.

Surgical management of sporadic hemangioblastomas located in the posterior fossa of brain.

PURPOSE: Hemangioblastomas (HBs) are highly vascular tumors, constituting 2%-3% of central nervous system (CNS) tumors. Surgery is a treatment option for HBs. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the demographic, clinical, and radiological findings of patients with HBs who were operated on via microsurgical technique at our clinic and to determine the findings specific to HBs and evaluate their pathological findings and confirmation. METHODS: We evaluated age, gender, initial complaints and duration of 100 patients (50 female and 50 male patients), presence of cranial nerve deficits, magnetic resonance imaging, data (localization, presence of hydrocephalus, tumor size, enhancement pattern, and cystic and solid component features), resection rates, pathological findings (grade, Ki-67 ratio, and staining results), recurrence, special conditions of patients, and the final status of patients in this study. RESULTS: Mean age was 39.08 ± 14.77 years and 66.7% of the patients presented with cerebellar findings. Five of the cases were located in the brainstem, five were located in the cerebellopontine angle, and two were in the cerebellar cortex. In all patients, gross total resection was performed using arteriovenous malformation repair. CONCLUSIONS: Surgical intervention of small and cystic tumors can be performed safely with en bloc resection along with preoperative detailed imaging, improved microsurgical techniques, and an extensive understanding of anatomical and vascular structures. On the contrary, patients with a brainstem invasion and solid structure present surgical difficulties due to arteriovenous malformation-like vascularizations; therefore, gross total resection is the optimal treatment in HBs.

COMPARISON OF CARDIAC ARRHYTHMIA TYPES BETWEEN HYPERTHYROID PATIENTS WITH GRAVES' DISEASE AND TOXIC NODULAR GOITER.

PURPOSE: Previous studies have demonstrated the relationship between hyperthyroidism and increased risk of cardiac arrhythmias. The most common causes of hyperthyroidism are Graves' disease (GD) and toxic nodular goiter (TNG). The aim of our study was to demonstrate if the underlying mechanism of hyperthyroidism, in other words autoimmunity, has an impact on the type of cardiac arrhythmias accompanying hyperthyroidism. METHOD: Twenty patients with TNG and 16 patients with GD who had overt hyperthyroidism were included in the study. Age, sex, thyroid hormone levels, thyroid autoantibody positivity, thyroid ultrasonography and scintigraphy results were recorded. 24-hour Holter ECG monitoring was performed in all patients. RESULTS: Mean age was significantly higher in the TNG group compared to the GD group (62.9±11.5 vs. 48.9±8.6 years, p=0.001). Free T3 was significantly higher (7.87±3.90 vs. 5.21±1.53 pg/mL, p=0.033) in the GD group while free T4 and TSH levels were similar between the two groups. In 24-hour Holter ECG recordings nonsustained ventricular tachycardia (VT) rates were significantly higher in the GD group than in TNG group [18.75% (n=3/16) vs. 0% (n=0/20), respectively, (p=0.043)]. Paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF) rates were significantly higher in the TNG group compared to GD group [(30% (n=6/20) vs. 0% (n=0/16), respectively, (p=0.016)]. CONCLUSION: Although free T3 levels were lower, paroxysmal AF rates were found significantly higher in the TNG group which may be associated with significantly higher age of this group. On the other hand, higher rate of nonsustained VT in the GD group may be related to either significantly higher free T3 levels or autoimmunity.

Effects of low sleep quality on sexual function, in women with fibromyalgia.

Sexual dysfunction is a common experience in women with fibromyalgia. However, the physiopathology of this association is unclear. We aimed to evaluate whether sleep disturbance has an influence on sexual function in women with fibromyalgia. Fifty-four sexually active premenopausal women with fibromyalgia were enrolled in the study. The following questionnaires were used: the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI), the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ) and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Appropriate statistical analyses were used by using SPSS 18. The mean FSFI score was 25.344 ± 6.52 and showed no correlation with age, body mass index, BDI or duration of fibromyalgia. However, a positive correlation between sexual dysfunction and low sleep quality was found (r=0.43; P=0.001). In addition, the median FSFI score was 29.2 (27.2-32.4) in patients with higher sleep quality (PSQI⩽5), whereas it was 21.4 (18.9-25.3) in patients with lower sleep quality (PSQI>5) (P<0.001). There was a positive correlation between sexual dysfunction and symptoms of fibromyalgia as indicated by a higher FIQ score (r=0.37; P=0.006). Sexual dysfunction in female patients with fibromyalgia may be due to low sleep quality. Treatment of the sleep disorder may improve female sexual function.

Delayed diagnosis of Eosinophilic Fasciitis: a case report and review of the literature.

Eosinophilic fasciitis is an uncommon entity characterized by edema, skin thickening and hyperpigmentation of extremities. Laboratory findings are variable and may include hypergammaglobulemia, peripheral eosinophilia and elevated acute phase reactants. A full-thickness skin/fascia/muscle biopsy is the gold standart for diagnosis. Since EF is an uncommon disorder and the clinic presentation mimics scleroderma, it takes a long time to make definitive diagnosis. We present a case diagnosed two years after its onset and responded well to the treatment. We also include herein the results of our literature survey regarding delayed diagnosis of Eosinophilic Fasciitis.

Translation and validation of the Turkish version of the Ankylosing Spondylitis Quality of Life (ASQOL) questionnaire.

The Ankylosing Spondylitis Quality of Life (ASQoL) questionnaire is a disease-specific measure of needs-based quality of life developed in the UK and the Netherlands. This study describes translation, validation, and reliability of the scale into Turkish population. The ASQoL was translated into Turkish using the dual-panel process. Content validity was assessed via cognitive debriefing interviews with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) patients. Patients with AS according to modified New York criteria were recruited into the study from 12 hospitals of all part of Turkey. Psychometric and scaling properties were assessed via a two administration survey involving the ASQoL, the Nottingham Health Profile (NHP), Bath AS Functional Index (BASFI), and Bath AS Disease Activity Index (BASDAI). Classical psychometrics assessed reliability, convergent validity (correlation of ASQoL with NHP, BASFI, and BASDAI) and discriminative validity (correlation of ASQoL with perceived AS-severity and general health). Cognitive debriefing showed the new Turkish ASQoL to be clear, relevant, and comprehensive. Completed survey questionnaires were received from 277 AS patients (80% Male, mean age 42.2/SD 11.6, mean AS duration 9.4 years/SD 9.4). Test-retest reliability was excellent (0.96), indicating low random measurement error for the scale. Correlations of ASQoL with NHP sections were low to moderate (NHP Sleep 0.34; NHP Emotional Reactions 0.83) suggesting the measures assess related but distinct constructs. The measure was able to discriminate between patients based on their perceived disease severity (p < 0.0001) and self-reported general health (p < 0.0001). The Turkish version of ASQoL has good reliability and validity properties. It is practical and useful scale to assess the quality of life in AS patients in Turkish population.

Osteoporosis in women with breast cancer and its effect on quality of life: a pilot study.

PURPOSE: The primary aim of this study was to evaluate the risk of osteoporosis (OP) in patients who had received adjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer. The secondary aim was to investigate the effect of OP on the quality of life of these patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Twenty-six patients with breast cancer and 21 healthy controls were recruited into the study. All breast cancer patients were treated with 6 cycles of adjuvant chemotherapy. Bone mineral density (BMD) was measured by Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Short Form-36 (SF-36) questionnaire was used to assess the quality of life. RESULTS: The mean lumbar area BMD value was significantly lower in patients with breast cancer than in healthy controls (p=0.017). There were no significant differences in the femoral area BMD measurements between the groups. OP was more pronounced after 24 months of the last chemotherapy course than in the first 12 months (p=0.04). The most affected domain of the SF-36 in patients with breast cancer was the physical role. CONCLUSION: Adjuvant chemotherapy increases the risk of accelerated bone loss in the lumbar spine. OP should be investigated during follow-up in order to improve the quality of life of the surviving breast cancer patients.

A pseudo-beta-glucosidase in Arabidopsis thaliana: correction by site-directed mutagenesis, heterologous expression, purification, and characterization.

Since At2g25630 is an intronless gene with a premature stop codon, its cDNA encoding the predicted mature beta-glucosidase isoenzyme was synthesized from the previously isolated Arabidopsis thaliana genomic DNA. The stop codon was converted to a sense codon by site-directed mutagenesis. The native and mutated cDNA sequences were separately cloned into the vector pPICZalphaB and expressed in Pichia pastoris. Only the cells transformed with mutated cDNA-vector construct produced the active protein. The mutated recombinant beta-glucosidase isoenzyme was chromatographically purified to apparent homogeneity. The molecular mass of the protein is estimated as ca. 60 kD by SDS-PAGE. The pH optimum of activity is 5.6, and it is fairly stable in the pH range of 5.0-8.5. The purified recombinant beta-glucosidase is effectively active on para-/ortho-nitrophenyl-beta-D-glucopyranosides (p-/o-NPG) and 4-methylumbelliferyl-beta-D-glucopyranoside (4-MUG) with K(m) values of 1.9, 2.1, 0.78 mM and k(cat) values of 114, 106, 327 nkat/mg, respectively. It also exhibits different levels of activity against para-/ortho-nitrophenyl-beta-D-fucopyranosides (p-/o-NPF), amygdalin, prunasin, cellobiose, gentiobiose, and salicin. The enzyme is competitively inhibited by gluconolactone and p-nitrophenyl-1-thio-beta-D-glucopyranoside with p-NPG, o-NPG, and 4-MUG as substrates. The enzyme is found to be very tolerant to glucose inhibition. The catalytic role of nucleophilic glutamic acid in the motif YITENG of beta-glucosidases and mutated recombinant enzyme is discussed.

Purification and characterization of an intracellular beta-glucosidase from the methylotrophic yeast Pichia pastoris.

Pichia pastoris beta-glucosidase was purified to apparent homogeneity by salting out with ammonium sulfate, gel filtration, and ion-exchange chromatography with Q-Sepharose and CM-Sepharose. The enzyme is a tetramer (275 kD) made up of four identical subunits (70 kD). The pH optimum is 7.3, and it is fairly stable in the pH range 5.5-9.5. The temperature optimum is 40 degrees C. The purified beta-glucosidase is effectively active on p-/o-nitrophenyl-beta-D-glucopyranosides (p-/o-NPG) and 4-methylumbelliferyl-beta-D-glucopyranoside (4-MUG) with Km values of 0.12, 0.22, and 0.096 mM and Vmax values of 10.0, 11.7, and 6.2 micromol/min per mg protein, respectively. It also exhibits different levels of activity against p-nitrophenyl-1-thio-beta-D-glucopyranoside, cellobiose, gentiobiose, amygdalin, prunasin, salicin, and linamarin. The enzyme is competitively inhibited by gluconolactone, p-/o-nitrophenyl-beta-D-fucopyranosides (p-/o-NPF), and glucose against p-NPG as substrate. o-NPF is the most effective inhibitor of the enzyme activity with Ki value of 0.41 mM. The enzyme is more tolerant to glucose inhibition with Ki value of 7.2 mM for p-NPG. Pichia pastoris has been employed as a host for the functional expression of heterologous beta-glucosidases and the risk of high background beta-glucosidase activity is discussed.