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Biomedical subjects

T Coskun

Publications and source records attributed to T Coskun.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Heights and weights of primary school children of different social background in Ankara, Turkey.

A cross-sectional anthropometric survey was carried out in a low socio-economic and high socio-economic region of Ankara, Turkey, to measure the weights and heights of school children. The study group consisted of 5289 children between the ages of 5 and 11 years. Both boys and girls from the high socio-economic group had superior body measurements compared to those of the low socio-economic group. The difference between the mean weight for age values of two groups was statistically significant (P < 0.05), whereas no statistically significant difference was found on the basis of height for age values among all age groups. To make a comparison both with National Centre for Health Statistics and World Health Organisation (NCHS-WHO) standards and Turkish standards we used the data from high socio-economic group only. Our results showed that the mean height and weight values of boys and girls were higher than the 50th centile height and weight values of NCHS-WHO standards. Almost 25 years have passed since the measurements of Turkish standards were taken. The height differences were in the range of 0.24-1.51 cm/decade, with a mean value of 0.96 cm/ decade. These results led us to conclude that, local/regional standards for height and weight are needed, and repeated assessments are useful for follow-up of populations.

Anthropometry↗

Cold restraint stress-induced gastric mucosal dysfunction. Role of nitric oxide.

The objectives of this study were to determine the cold restraint stress-induced changes in gastric mucosal permeability and to assess whether nitric oxide synthesis inhibition affects gastric mucosal integrity after cold-restraint administration. Cold-restraint stress caused multiple gastric lesions in 90% of animals. The lesion index was found to be 3.87 +/- 0.97 mm. Gastric mucosal permeability to the [51CR]EDTA molecule was significantly elevated in the cold-restraint group compared to control. In order to evaluate the role of nitric oxide in cold restraint stress-induced gastropathy, L-arginine analog NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) was given as a bolus (10 mg/kg, intravenously) and infused at a rate of 2 mg/ml/hr for 2 hr after cold-restraint administration. L-NAME greatly exacerbated gastric mucosal dysfunction associated with cold-restraint stress. D-NAME, the biologically inactive enantiomer, did not enhance mucosal dysfunction, whereas L-arginine, the substrate for nitric oxide, reversed the effect of L-NAME. In an additional group of experiments, effects of cold-restraint stress and L-NAME on net transmucosal fluid flux as well as tissue myeloperoxidase activity (MPO) were assessed. Cold-restraint stress administration significantly reduced the absorptive capacity of stomach, whereas L-NAME treatment did not affect the stress-induced alterations on net fluid absorption. Furthermore, L-NAME treatment did not affect the cold restraint stress-induced changes in tissue MPO activity. Our results suggest that gastric barrier function is altered after cold-restraint stress and nitric oxide production is important in minimizing mucosal barrier dysfunction associated with cold-restraint stress administration. Our results also indicate that L-NAME-induced alterations on mucosal permeability are not related to net transmucosal fluid flux and tissue neutrophils.

Animals↗

Infantile spasms as the initial symptom of biotinidase deficiency.

Two patients with biotinidase deficiency had diagnoses of infantile spasms made at 1 month of age. Biotinidase deficiency may be seen early in the neonatal period without the characteristic findings such as alopecia and seborrheic dermatitis. This diagnosis should be considered in patients with infantile spasms.

Amidohydrolases↗

Defects in the E2 lipoyl transacetylase and the X-lipoyl containing component of the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex in patients with lactic acidemia.

Three patients with chronic lacticacidemia and deficiency of the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex demonstrated in cultured skin fibroblasts showed abnormalities on Western blotting with anti-pyruvate dehydrogenase complex antiserum which were not located in the E1 (alpha and beta) component of the complex. One of these patients had an enzymatically demonstrable deficiency in the E2 dihydrolipoyl transacetylase segment of the complex and very low observable E2 protein component on Western blotting of fibroblast proteins. The other two patients had abnormalities observable in the X component but no observable reduction in either E1, E2, or E3 enzymatic activities. One patient appeared to have a missing X component while the other had two distinct bands where X should be on Western blotting of fibroblast proteins. All three patients appeared to have severe clinical sequelae resulting from these defects. This is the first time that defects in either the E2 or the X component of the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex have been observed in the human population.

Acetyltransferases↗

DNA haplotype analysis at the phenylalanine hydroxylase locus in the Turkish population.

Thirty-nine Turkish phenylketonuria (PKU) families were investigated for their DNA haplotypes at the phenylalanine hydroxylase (PAH) locus. There was a threefold higher incidence of consanguinity in the population studied compared with the general Turkish population. The PAH DNA haplotype 6 was found to be almost exclusively associated not only with the mutant PAH genes but also with the classic phenotype in 39% of the Turkish patients. This haplotype was of not importance in northern European populations. The two DNA haplotypes (1 and 4) that were almost equally frequent among the normal and the mutant PAH genes in northern European populations show virtually the same distribution in Turkish individuals. In all populations studied, these haplotypes are associated with different phenotypes.

Blotting, Southern↗

Heart transplantation in children after mechanical circulatory support: comparison of heart transplantation with ventricular assist devices and elective heart transplantation.

Heart transplantation (HTx) is an ultimate treatment for children with end-stage heart failure or inoperable congenital heart disease. The supply of hearts is inadequate; therefore, different mechanical support systems must be used as bridge to HTx in pediatric patients with postoperative low output. The use of ventricular assist devices (VADs) as bridge to HTx in children is limited because of size differences. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the overall long-term outcome of pediatric circulatory support before pediatric HTx. From 1989 through 2004, 91 pediatric patients underwent isolated HTx. Seven of them required mechanical support before transplantation. We reviewed retrospectively the course of 91 children (mean age 14.7 years) who underwent HTx. Group A consisted of elective HTx patients who were treated as outpatients before HTx, whereas group B was the VAD-HTx bridging group (n=7; mean age 12.31 +/- 2.8 years). Mean duration of VAD support was 108 +/- 98 days (minimum 1 day, maximum 258 days). Overall survival rate after HTx was 80% at 1 year without significant differences between groups. Five of seven patients survived and could be discharged after successful HTx, for a survival rate of 77%. The mean follow-up period was 16.76 +/- 10.6 months. No differences in posttransplantation long-term survival and rejection episodes occurred between patients transplanted with or without VAD. VAD therapy can keep pediatric patients with end-stage heart failure alive until successful HTx, and bridge to HTx is a safe procedure in pediatric patients. After HTx, survival rates of these children are similar to those of patients awaiting elective HTx.

Adolescent↗

Fine mapping of the human biotinidase gene and haplotype analysis of five common mutations.

Biotinidase deficiency is an autosomal recessive defect in the recycling of biotin that can lead to a variety of neurologic and cutaneous symptoms. The disease can be prevented or effectively treated with exogenous biotin. The biotinidase locus (BTD) has been maped to 3p25 by in situ hybridization. The gene has been cloned, the coding region sequenced, the genomic organization determined, and a spectrum of mutations has been characterized in more than 90 individuals with profound or partial biotinidase deficiency. We have conducted haplotype analysis of 10 consanguineous and 39 nonconsanguineous probands from the United States and 8 consanguineous probands from Turkey to localize BTD with respect to polymorphic markers on 3p and to investigate the origins of five common mutations. The inbred probands were homozygous for overlapping regions of 3p ranging in size from 1.1 to 80 cM which were flanked most narrowly by D3S1259 and D3S1293. Radiation hybrids and haplotype analysis of markers within this region suggest that BTD is located within a 0.1-cM region flanked by D3S3510 and D3S1286. The radiation hybrid data suggest that the BTD gene is oriented 5' to 3' between the centromere and the 3p telomere. Association studies indicate that the gene is closer to a third locus D3S3613 than D3S3510, two markers which cannot be resolved by existing linkage data. The BTD locus and D3S3613 must therefore lie between D3S3510 and D3S1286. Comparison of haplotypes reveals evidence for possible founder effects for four of the five common mutations.

Adult↗

Factors affecting post-operative mortality in malignant biliary tract obstruction.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Although malignant obstruction, itself, is a significant risk factor associated with post-operative mortality, factors affecting mortality in the surgery of malignant obstruction have not been thoroughly studied in the literature. METHODOLOGY: In order to identify independent risk factors which might be associated with an increase in post-operative mortality in patients with malignant biliary obstruction, 24 clinical and laboratory parameters in 52 patients undergoing biliary tract surgery were analyzed retrospectively. RESULTS: Simple regression revealed 24 factors with prognostic significance, but multivariate analysis detected only 3 factors with independent significance in predicting mortality (cholangitis, weight loss of 10 kg or more and operative or post-operative blood transfusion). The presence of 2 of these risk factors identified a group of patients with an 37% mortality rate. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study show that the presence of pre-operative cholangitis, marked weight loss, and operative and post-operative blood transfusion are associated with high post-operative mortality. The major challenge is the prevention of cholangitis in high-risk patients, improvement of the nutritional status of the patients, and avoidance of unnecessary blood transfusions.

Adult↗

Serum vitamin-E levels and its relation to clinical features in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease with elevated ALT levels.

BACKGROUND: Oxidative stress and free oxygen radicals play an important role in the progression from simple fatty liver to steatohepatitis. Deficiency of antioxidants like vitamin-E has been reported to trigger this progression. The main aims of our study were to measure plasma vitamin-E levels in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), to explain its relationship with biochemical parameters and to examine the possible therapeutic and prophylactic role of vitamin-E. METHODS: 52 patients with NAFLD and elevated liver function tests were enrolled. After 6 months of follow-up with a standard low-fat, low-calorie diet, changes in liver enzymes were evaluated. RESULTS: Deficiency of vitamin-E was detected in 16 patients with NAFLD. Homogenous echo pattern of the liver and attenuation was found to be significantly higher in the low vitamin-E group (p = 0.03). The low vitamin-E group had significantly higher levels of triglyceride (p = 0.02). After 6 months, patients in the low vitamin-E group did not respond to the diet and no decrease in ALT levels was detected (p = 0.04). CONCLUSION: This is the first study measuring the serum vitamin-E levels in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. A correlation was found between low vitamin-E levels, high triglyceride levels, as well as sonographic findings, both of which are negative prognostic factors causing progression of fatty liver to steatohepatitis. Patients with low vitamin-E levels did not respond to a classical diet for fatty liver disease. Based on the data, we suggest that diet alone is not adequate for patients with fatty liver, and vitamin-E supplementation should be added.

Adult↗