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Preoperative NLR is clearly an independent predictor of saphenous vein graft patency in patients after CABG.

Objective Several studies have shown that arterial stiffness and ventricular dysfunction are increased in individuals with type 2 diabetes. Aortic stiffness (AS) reflects the mechanical tension and elasticity of the aorta, and increased aortic stiffness is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. The aim of this study was to evaluate the degree of aortic stiffness and its relationship with the left ventricular (LV) function in patients with prediabetes and healthy control subjects. Methods The study groups were composed of 50 patients with prediabetes and 47 healthy adults with similar demographic characteristics. The LV systolic and diastolic functions were assessed using standard two dimensional (2D) echocardiography, M-mode echocardiography, pulsed-wave (PW) echocardiography and tissue Doppler echocardiography. The degree of aortic strain and distensibility were calculated based on the aortic diameters measured on M-mode echocardiography at a level 3 cm above the aortic valve and the blood pressure values obtained on sphygmomanometry. Results There were significant differences between the prediabetic and control groups in the degree of aortic strain (4.7±2.8% vs. 14.9±4.5%; respectively, p<0.001) and distensibility (2.0±1.5 vs. 6.8±2.3; 10 -3 cm 2 dyn -1 , respectively, p<0.001). In addition, significant differences were observed between the patient and control groups in the parameters of the LV systolic and diastolic functions. The left atrial diameter was significantly larger in the prediabetics than in the controls (35.9±3.9 vs. 33.7±4.2; respectively, p=0.027). Conclusion AS is increased in patients with prediabetes. In addition, there is a significant relationship between the degree of aortic stiffness and the LV function in this patient population. Therefore, the aortic elasticity parameters calculated on 2D echocardiography are useful for predicting early cardiovascular risks in prediabetics.

vitro, the amino acids glutamic acid, aspartic acid, alanine, glutamine, proline, serine, and arginine induced rooting of explants in the presence of a-naphthalene acetic acid (Kamada and Harada 1979). Furthermore, it was found that while proline (10-200 mg L -1 ) increased the rooting percentage and number of roots per rooted explant of sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.) and sour cherry (Prunus cerasus L.), the root length was reduced (Baraldi et al. 1988).The different forms of nitrogen as well as its proportion can influence a number of factors in various in vitro cultures, such as cell division, the growth and development of somatic embryos, chlorophyll content, ribulose-1, 5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase activity, the electron transport rate, the photosynthetic rate, fresh mass, soluble protein concentration, and the osmotic pressure of the cell sap (Mashayekhi-Nezamabadi 2000). It has been reported that reduced nitrogen forms, particularly amides and amino acids, can improve cell proliferation, as well as regeneration in specific genotypes (Vasudevan et al. 2004).Methionine, a sulfur-containing amino acid, is a precursor of ethylene biosynthesis in plant tissues (Yang 1985). Besides its function as a protein constituent and its central role in the initiation of mRNA translation, methionine indirectly regulates a range of cellular processes as the precursor of S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) (Amir et al. 2002). Not only is SAM the primary biological methyl-group donor, but it is also the precursor of plant metabolites, including ethylene, polyamines, vitamin B 1 , and the iron chelator mugineic acid (Sun Abstract: In the present study, the effects of indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) alone and in combination with L-methionine were investigated on the morphogenic and biochemical responses in the shoot tip explants of the cherry rootstocks CAB-6P (Prunus cerasus L.) and Gisela 6 (Prunus cerasus × Prunus canescens). The best results for roots, regarding their number and the fresh and dry weight, were obtained with 2 mg L -1 IBA in both rootstocks. Maximum rooting percentage was with the combination of 2 mg L -1 IBA and 0.5 mg L -1 L-methionine. Root length was greatest in the control plants. L-methionine had an inhibitory effect on the leaf chlorophyll content of the CAB-6P rootstock and no effect in Gisela 6. L-methionine with the lowest IBA concentration (0.5 mg L -1 ) exhibited elevated levels of proline in the roots of the CAB-6P rootstock and depleted levels in Gisela 6. For the Gisela 6 rootstock, the leaf carbohydrate concentration was highest with 2 mg L -1 of IBA, whereas in the roots it was highest in the control. For the CAB-6P rootstock, the leaf carbohydrate concentration was not influenced by IBA with L-methionine, whereas the highest carbohydrate concentration in the roots was with the combinations of 0.5 mg L -1 IBA and 1 and 2 mg L -1 L-methionine. Taking into account the different parameters examined, it appears that chlorophyll and carbohydrates are the most accurate biochemical markers of the rooting ...

Study design: Experimental study. Objectives: To determine the neuroprotective effects of zinc and melatonin on spinal cord ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injuries of rabbits. Setting: The Experimental Research Centre of Selc¸uk University, Konya, Turkey. Methods: Twenty-four male rabbits underwent spinal cord ischemia by clamping the thoracoabdominal aorta for 20 min. Twenty minutes before the aortic clamping, animals received zinc, melatonin or a combination of both. Neurological examination of the animals was performed three times during reperfusion period. The animals were killed 24 h after reperfusion. Spinal cord samples were taken for biochemical and histopathological evaluation. Results: Pre-treated animals with zinc, melatonin or combination displayed better neurological outcomes than the I/R group (Po0.05). Zinc, melatonin and combined treatment prevented spinal cord injury by reducing apoptosis rate (Po0.05) and preserving intact ganglion cell numbers (Po0.05). Zinc pre-treatment protected spinal cord by preventing malondialdehyde (MDA) formation (P ¼ 0.002), increasing glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity (P ¼ 0.002) and decreasing xanthine oxidase enzyme activity (P ¼ 0.026) at molecular level. Melatonin treatment also resulted with MDA formation (P ¼ 0.002), increased GPx activity (P ¼ 0.002) and decreased xanthine oxidase activity (P ¼ 0.026). Conclusion:The results of the study showed that prophylactic zinc and melatonin use in spinal cord I/R not only suppressed lipid peroxidation by activating antioxidant systems but also had significant neuroprotective effects by specifically improving the neurological and histopathological situation.

Objective: Prosthetic vascular access is the other choice when the superficial venous system is inadequate to perform a simple radio-cephalic and brachio-cephalic fistula. Methods: This paper reports the outcomes of a prospective cohort study of 54 patients who underwent either saphenous vein (SVI Group, n=29) or PTFE graft (PTFE Group, n=25) interposition surgery for prosthetic hemodialysis access. All patients were evaluated via color Doppler ultrasonography during preoperative course and superficial venous systems of these patients were found inadequate to perform simple radial/ brachial artery-cephalic vein anastomosis. Follow-up was performed for every 6-months period. Kaplan-Meier analysis and Log Rank test was used for estimation and comparison of the patency. Results: In SVI group access failure was observed in 5 of 29 patients (17.2%). In PTFE group, access failure was observed in 13 of the 25 patients (52%). Primary patency rate was 93% in 12 th month and 82% in 24 th month in SVI group while it was 88% in 12 th month and 56% in 24 th month in PTFE group. According to the Kaplan-Meier method, mean time of primary patency was significantly higher in SVI group when compared to PTFE group (33.03±1.32 months vs. 28.16±1.91 months, Log Rank chi-square value: 7.01, df:1, p=0.008). Secondary patency rate was 96% in 12 th month and 93% in 24 th month for SVI group while 96% in 12 th month and 84% in 24 th month for PTFE group. According to the Kaplan-Meier method, mean time of secondary patency was significantly higher in SVI group when compared to PTFE group (34.27±0.95 months vs. 31.16±1.40 months, Log Rank chi-square value: 7.33, df:1, p=0.007). Conclusion: Autologous saphenous vein can be preferably chosen as a prosthetic hemodialysis access graft due its higher primary and secondary patency, lower complication rate and cost when compared with PTFE grafts. (Anadolu Kardiyol Derg 2014; 14: 542-6)

BackgroundThe thoracic or thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm surgery may cause spinal cord ischemia because of aortic cross-clamping and may result in severe postoperative complications caused by spinal cord injury. Ischemia/reperfusion injury may directly or indirectly be responsible for these complications. In this study we sought to determine whether combination of iloprost and montelukast can reduce the ischemia/reperfusion injury of spinal cord in a rat model.MethodsMedulla spinalis tissue concentrations of interleukin-6 (IL-6), myeloperoxidase (MPO) and heat shock protein 70 (HSP-70) were determined in 3 groups of Spraque Dawley rats: control group (operation with cross clamping and intraperitoneal administration of 0.9% saline, n = 7), sham group (operation without cross clamping, n = 7), and study group (operation with cross-clamping and intraperitoneal administration of iloprost (25 ng/kg) and montelukast (1 mg/kg), n = 7). The abdominal aorta was clamped for 45 minutes, with a proximal (just below the left renal artery) and a distal (just above the aortic bifurcation) clip in control and study groups. Hindlimb motor functions were evaluated at 6, 12, 24, and 48 hours using the Motor Deficit Index score. All rats were sacrificed 48 hours after the procedure and spinal cord tissue levels of myeloperoxidase, interleukin-6, and heat shock protein (HSP-70) were evaluated as markers of oxidative stress and inflammation. Histopathological analyses of spinal cord were also performed.ResultsThe tissue level of HSP-70 was found to be similar among the 3 groups, however, MPO was highest and IL-6 receptor level was lowest in the control group (p = 0.007 and p = 0.005; respectively). In histopathological examination, there was no significant difference among the groups with respect to the neuronal cell degeneration, edema, or inflammation, but vascular congestion was found to be significantly more prominent in the control group than in the sham or in the study group (p = 0.05). Motor deficit index scores at 24 and 48 hours after ischemia were significantly lower in the study group than in the control group.ConclusionThis study suggests that combined use of iloprost and montelukast may reduce ischemic damage in transient spinal cord ischemia and may provide better neurological outcome.