Leucocytes are present throughout the male reproductive tract but the clinical significance of leucocytic infiltration in the human ejaculate is controversial. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines leucocytospermia as the presence of peroxidase-positive leucocytes in concentrations of > or =1 x 10(6)/mL of semen. The goals of this study were to clarify the relationship between leucocytospermia and semen parameters including sperm concentration, progressive and total motility before and after semen preparation, and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) outcomes, including fertilization, embryo development, embryo morphology, cleavage and pregnancy rates. We compared the semen parameters and ICSI outcome of 34 leucocytospermic and 36 non-leucocytospermic control couples who were undergoing ICSI because of male factor infertility including oligo and/or astheno and/or teratozoospermia. Semen parameters including progressive motility rate (1.5% vs. 3%) and sperm concentrations (12 vs. 29 million/mL) were significantly lower in the leucocytospermic group compared with the control group. Other semen parameters were not affected by the presence of leucocytes. ICSI outcome, including fertilization (82% vs. 87%) and embryo development rates (79% vs. 86%) were significantly lower in the leucocytospermic group compared with the control group although there were no statistical difference for embryo quality, embryo cleavage and pregnancy rates. These results indicate that some semen parameters and the outcome of ICSI were negatively affected by the presence of leucocytospermia.

New legislation concerning assisted reproduction treatments was introduced in Turkey in March 2010 in order to reduce the number of multiple pregnancies. This new legislation limits the number of embryos to be transferred to one under 35 years of age in the first or second treatment cycles and to two in the third or further cycles or for 35 and older ages. The aim of this multicentre study was to investigate the effect of this new law on clinical pregnancy and multiple pregnancy rates. Outcomes were compared in equal periods of 2.5 months before and after the new law, and further investigation was conducted for two different age groups: <35 and ≥ 35. The clinical pregnancy rates decreased from 39.9 to 34.5% and multiple pregnancy rates decreased from 23.1 to 5.3% (P<0.001) for the overall population. The outcomes of the <35 age group and ≥ 35 age group were also similar to that of the overall population. These results suggest that under the new legislation multiple pregnancy rates are significantly reduced without causing a significant decline in the pregnancy rates.

Background/Aim: Increased oxidative stress plays a crucial role in pathogenesis of various diseases. The present study aims to investigate glutathione reductase (GR) and malondialdehyde (MDA) enzymes as markers of oxidative stress mechanisms in lumbar disc degeneration disease (LDDD). Patients and Methods: The study group consisted of 39 patients diagnosed with LDD and 37 healthy individuals in the control group. The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method was used to determine serum GR and MDA levels in the two study groups. Results: Serum GR levels were significantly lower (p=0.008), while MDA levels were significantly higher in the patient group compared to the controls (p=0.025). Conclusion: Oxidative stress mechanisms play a crucial role in disc degeneration and GR deficiency could be an eligible risk factor for LDDD.

Background The effect of a variety of treatment modalities including psychopharmacological and cognitive behavioral therapy on the brain volumes and neurochemicals have not been investigated enough in the patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder. Therefore, in the present study, we aimed to investigate the effect of cognitive behavioral therapy on the volumes of the orbito-frontal cortex and thalamus regions which seem to be abnormal in the patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder. We hypothesized that there would be change in the volumes of the orbito-frontal cortex and thalamus. Methods Twelve patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder and same number of healthy controls were included into the study. At the beginning of the study, the volumes of the orbito-frontal cortex and thalamus were compared by using magnetic resonance imaging. In addition, volumes of these regions were measured before and after the cognitive behavioral therapy treatment in the patient group. Results The patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder had greater left and right thalamus volumes and smaller left and right orbito-frontal cortex volumes compared to those of healthy control subjects at the beginning of the study. When we compared baseline volumes of the patients with posttreatment ones, we detected that thalamus volumes significantly decreased throughout the period for both sides and that the orbito-frontal cortex volumes significantly increased throughout the period for only left side. Conclusions In summary, we found that cognitive behavioral therapy might volumetrically affect the key brain regions involved in the neuroanatomy of obsessive-compulsive disorder. However, future studies with larger sample are required.

Our results suggested that the VDR rs2228570 AG genotype was at a decreased risk and the GG genotype was at an increased risk of LDDD in the Turkish population. Since genetic polymorphisms often show ethnic differences, further functional studies are needed to evaluate the genotype and phenotype correlations in large cohorts of various ethnicities.

Background/Aim: Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is one of the most common forms of lung cancer and the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the world. Caspase 9 (CASP9) plays a central role in the intrinsic apoptotic pathway. The aim of the study was to investigate the role of caspase 9 gene polymorphism in patients with non-small cell lung cancer. Materials and Methods: The study included 96 NSCLC cases and 67 controls. CASP9 Ex5+32 G>A polymorphism was investigated by real-time polymerase chain reaction. Results: There was a significant difference between the groups in the frequency of CASP9 genotypes (p=0.008). The number of the carriers of the ancestral GG genotype, was significantly higher in the NSCLC group than in the control (p=0.009). The heterozygote GA genotype and mutant A allele frequency were significantly higher in the control group compared to the NSCLC group (p=0. 005, p=0.009, respectively). Serum CASP9 levels were significantly lower in the patients group than in the control group (p<0.0001). Conclusion: CASP9 Ex5+32 GG genotype was a risk factor whereas the variant A allele could be a risk-reducing factor for NSCLC.Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the most common type of lung cancer and is the one of the leading causes of death in the world (1). Approximately 85% of lung cancers are NSCLC and mostly detected at an advanced stage with poor treatment outcome and survival time (2). Classical chemotherapy is the major treatment for advanced NSCLC, but mortality rates remain high (3). Thus new therapeutic and preventive strategies based on molecular and genetic analyses are needed (3).The term "caspase" defines 'cysteine-dependent aspartatespecific protease' activity which cleaves high-affinity cysteine residues from aspartate residues in target proteins (4). CASP9, a member of that caspase protein family, regulates programmed cell death named as intrinsic pathway (5). In this pathway, apoptosis is initiated by the release of cytochrome c from mitochondria in response to DNA damage or oxidative stress. Cytochrome c reacts with the apoptosome, that consists of activating factor 1 (Apaf-1), procaspase-9 and deoxyadenosine triphosphate (dATP). This multiprotein complex triggers a cascade of effector caspases. Activated CASP9, as an initiator caspase, regulates the effector caspases caspase 3 and caspase 7 and executes apoptosis (6, 7).Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are the most common variations in the human genome and it has been shown that some SNPs are associated with the pathogenesis of various cancers via regulating gene expression and protein synthesis (8). Apoptotic mechanisms may also be affected by caspase gene polymorphisms as a consequence of altered enzymatic functions (9). Determination of genetic variations of the caspase gene has shown that there could be an association between caspase deregulation and cancer susceptibility (10). However, while the direct functional effects of CASP9 variants remain unclear, many studies have focused on CASP9 variants and their role ...

Background/Aim: Cholesterol ester transfer protein (CETP) is responsible for the transformation of high density lipoprotein (HDL) to low density lipoprotein (LDL) and is a risk factor for atherosclerosis. Our study investigated the association of the rs5883 CETP gene polymorphism with HDL and LDL levels, in 45 coronary artery disease patients and 45 control patients. Materials and Methods: CETP gene polymorphism was detected using Real Time-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR). Lipoprotein levels were measured using Quantimetrix system. Results: There were lack of associaition regarding CETP polymorphism in atherosclerosis and HDL and LDL levels (p>0.05) BMI was higher among coronary artery disease patients (CADP) compared to the control group (28.97±6.38, 26.52±4.39 respectively, p<0.03). Frequency of CADP (82.6 %, n=19) who were taking treatment was higher (17.4 %, n=4) (p<0.00). The frequencies of hypertension and type-2 diabetes were higher among CADP (p<0.00). Families of CADP have more CADP (p<0.02). Small HDL particle levels were higher in the control group (p<0.00). Conclusion: In Turkey, BMI, and frequencies of hypertension and type-2 diabetes were higher among CADP than among healthy controls. Furthermore, the genotypes of the rs5883 CETP gene polymorphism did not differ between CADP and healthy controls.

The findings may implicate that CBT increases the level of NAA which is a marker of neuronal integrity.