Effects of bilateral breast reduction on peak airway pressure and pulmonary function tests.

PURPOSE: Surgical reduction due to breast size is not carried out merely for anesthetic concerns but also for such complaints as breast pain belonging to breast and skeletal system, back pain, neck pain, and intertriginous rashes. This study aims to investigate the effect of bilateral breast reduction surgery on maximum inspiratory pressure (Ppeak) and pulmonary functions. This study aims to investigate the effect of bilateral breast reduction surgery on pulmonary function test. METHODS: The study included 50 patients who would undergo bilateral breast reduction. Patients were divided into two groups: group II were given positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP), which was not administered to the group I. Patients were checked in terms of maximum inspiratory pressures (Ppeak) before surgery, after first and second breasts were removed, and after surgery. Pulmonary function tests were carried out on preoperative, postoperative second and 14th days. As RFT, forced vital capacity (FVC), FEV1 (forced expiratory volume at the first second of FVC), FEV1/FVC and PEF (peak expiratory flow rate) were measured. RESULTS: In both groups, demographic data were not found to statistically significant differences (P > 0.05). When compared both groups in terms of preoperative FVC and FEV1/FVC 14th day, a significant increase was found on the 14th day (P < 0.05). A significant difference was not established between groups in terms of Ppeak values (P > 0.05). Ppeak was found to be significantly higher in group I (22.28 ± 7.56) at the end of intubation compared with group II (19.04 ± 3.73) (P = 0.002, P < 0.05). Similarly, preoperative Ppeak was established to be 21.88 ± 7.51 in group I and it was significantly higher compared with group II (19.44 ± 4.08), (P = 0.002, P < 0.05). When compared Ppeak values at the end of intubation and before operation with entry values a statistically significant difference was not found in either group (P = 0.76, P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Some researchers reported a positive correlation between FVC, FEV1/FVC, and PEF along with the excised tissue mass. We established a positive correlation between the excised tissue weight and FVC and FEV1/FVC and that PEEP application did not have an impact on Ppeak.

Broad host range species in specialised pathogen groups should be treated with suspicion - a case study on Entyloma infecting Ranunculus.

Plant pathogenic smut fungi in the broader sense can be divided into the Ustilaginomycetes, which cause classical smut symptoms with masses of blackish spores being produced in a variety of angiosperms, and the Exobasidiomycetes, which are often less conspicuous, as many do not shed large amounts of blackish spores. The leaf-spot causing members of the genus Entyloma (Entylomatales, Exobasidiomycetes) belong to the latter group. Currently, 172 species that all infect eudicots are included in the genus. Vánky (2012) recognised five Entyloma species on species of Ranunculus s.lat. Two have been reported only from Ficaria verna s.lat., while three, E. microsporum, E. ranunculi-repentis, E. verruculosum, have been reported to have a broad host range, encompassing 30, 26, and 5 species of Ranunculus, respectively. This broad host range is in contrast to the generally high host specificity assumed for species of Entyloma, indicating that they may represent complexes of specialised species. The aim of this study was to investigate Entyloma on Ranunculus s.lat. using multigene phylogenies and morphological comparisons. Phylogenetic analyses on the basis of up to four loci (ITS, atp2, ssc1, and map) showed a clustering of Entyloma specimens according to host species. For some of these Entyloma lineages, names not currently in use were available and reinstated. In addition, Entyloma microsporum s.str. is neotypified. Six novel species are described in this study, namely, Entyloma jolantae on Ranunculus oreophilus, E. klenkei on R. marginatus, E. kochmanii on R. lanuginosus, E. piepenbringiae on R. polyanthemos subsp. nemorosus (type host) and R. repens, E. savchenkoi on R. paludosus, and E. thielii on R. montanus. For all species diagnostic bases and morphological characteristics are provided. The results in this study once more highlight the importance of detailed re-investigation of broad host-range pathogens of otherwise specialised plant pathogen groups.

Complex and compound odontomas: Analysis of 69 cases and a rare case of erupted compound odontoma.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to analyze clinic and radiologic features of the 69 odontoma cases and present a rare case of erupted compound odontoma in the oral cavity. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The 69 cases were analyzed with regard to the following parameters: age, gender, location, associated unerupted teeth, missing teeth, radiological and histopathological features and treatment protocols. RESULTS: Of the 69 cases, 49 were compound odontoma and 20 were complex odontoma. There was a female predilection for both compound and complex odontomas. Compound odontoma occurred more often in the anterior region of the jaws; complex lesions occurred more often at the posterior mandible. The most common clinical manifestations were the retention of permanent teeth. CONCLUSION: Compound odontomas rarely erupt into the mouth. The presented case is the 13 th case of erupted compound odontoma reported in the literature. The treatment of choice is surgical removal of the odontoma. In the case of odontomas associated to impacted teeth, the teeth should be preserved in wait of spontaneous eruption, or alternatively fenestration followed by orthodontic traction is indicated. Regular follow-up period is crucial to evaluate the prognosis of these teeth.

Effects of the topical hemostatic agent Ankaferd Blood Stopper on the incidence of alveolar osteitis after surgical removal of an impacted mandibular third molar.

BACKGROUND: Alveolar osteitis (AO) is a commonly seen post-operative complication during the wound-healing period after permanent tooth extraction or surgical removal of impacted third molar teeth. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this clinical study was to evaluate the effects of administration of the topical hemostatic agent Ankaferd Blood Stopper (ABS) into the socket on AO formation after impacted mandibular third molar extraction. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Bilaterally, 100 half-impacted mandibular third molars were extracted in 50 patients. Then, 1.0 mL ABS was administered to achieve hemostasis in one half of the sockets and as a control, the other half was irrigated with 1.0 mL physiological serum after surgery. RESULTS: There was no statistically significant difference in terms of AO formation ( P > 0.05) between the extraction sites. However, the postoperative pain in ABS administration sites was higher than in the other sites for the first 2 days after surgery ( P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The results showed that ABS administration did not increase the incidence of AO formation. Thus, ABS can be used safely for hemostasis after impacted mandibular third molar surgery.

Late effects of renal transplantation on endothelial functions and cardiac morphology.

BACKGROUND: Endothelial dysfunction is common in patients undergoing hemodialysis (HD), and cardiovascular morbidity and mortality are higher in these patients. In this study, we evaluated the late posttransplantation effects of cyclosporine and tacrolimus on endothelial function, inflammation, and cardiac architecture. METHODS: The study included 12 patients undergoing hemodialysis (group 1); 22 renal transplant recipients, of which 13 were receiving cyclosporine therapy (group 2) and 9 were receiving tacrolimus therapy (group 3); and 12 healthy control individuals (group 4). Kidney recipients were included if the transplantation procedure had been performed at least 1 year before the study. Asymmetric dimethylarginine, C-reactive protein, carotid intima-media thickness, left ventricular posterior wall thickness, interventricular septal thickness, left ventricular muscle mass index, flow-mediated dilation, and nitroglycerine-induced dilation of the brachial artery were evaluated. RESULTS: Serum asymmetric dimethylarginine, C-reactive protein, carotid intima-media thickness, left ventricular posterior wall thickness, interventricular septal thickness, and left ventricular muscle mass index values were significantly higher in patients undergoing HD than in the other 3 groups (P < .05), whereas percent change in flow-mediated dilation and nitroglycerine-induced dilation of the brachial artery was significantly lower (P < .05). CONCLUSION: Patients undergoing HD demonstrate endothelial dysfunction. In the late posttransplantation period, kidney recipients seem to have similar endothelial function and cardiac architecture as in the healthy population. This result may explain the reduction in cardiovascular morbidity and mortality after transplantation in patients undergoing HD. Tacrolimus and cyclosporine have similar effects on endothelial function.

Metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the skin in chronic myeloid leukaemia: complication of hydroxyurea therapy.

Hydroxyurea is a ribonucleotide diphosphate reductase inhibitor used in the treatment of patients with myeloproliferative disorders. Hydroxyurea has some dermatological side-effects. It has recently been recognized that hydroxyurea can induce squamous cell and basal cell carcinomas of skin. We present the case of an elderly man with chronic myeloid leukaemia who was treated with hydroxyurea for 4 years, with good control of his disease. However, in addition to the appearance of various skin lesions and cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma after 3 years of therapy, he was found to have a metastatic squamous cell carcinoma after 4 years. Hydroxyurea was discontinued, and he underwent surgery and radiotherapy. The patient subsequently died of ventricular fibrillation. We present this case to draw attention to the association between hydroxyurea and secondary skin cancers and to emphasize the need for dermatological examination before and during the course of hydroxyurea therapy.

Electrical conductivity imaging via contactless measurements.

A new imaging modality is introduced to image electrical conductivity of biological tissues via contactless measurements. This modality uses magnetic excitation to induce currents inside the body and measures the magnetic fields of the induced currents. In this study, the mathematical basis of the methodology is analyzed and numerical models are developed to simulate the imaging system. The induced currents are expressed using the A-phi formulation of the electric field where A is the magnetic vector potential and phi is the scalar potential function. It is assumed that A describes the primary magnetic vector potential that exists in the absence of the body. This assumption considerably simplifies the solution of the secondary magnetic fields caused by induced currents. In order to solve phi for objects of arbitrary conductivity distribution a three-dimensional (3-D) finite-element method (FEM) formulation is employed. A specific 7 x 7-coil system is assumed nearby the upper surface of a 10 x 10 x 5-cm conductive body. A sensitivity matrix, which relates the perturbation in measurements to the conductivity perturbations, is calculated. Singular-value decomposition of the sensitivity matrix shows various characteristics of the imaging system. Images are reconstructed using 500 voxels in the image domain, with truncated pseudoinverse. The noise level is assumed to produce a representative signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of 80 dB. It is observed that it is possible to identify voxel perturbations (of volume 1 cm3) at 2 cm depth. However, resolution gradually decreases for deeper conductivity perturbations.

Forward problem solution for electrical conductivity imaging via contactless measurements.

The forward problem of a new medical imaging system is analysed in this study. This system uses magnetic excitation to induce currents inside a conductive body and measures the magnetic fields of the induced currents. The forward problem, that is determining induced currents in the conductive body and their magnetic fields, is formulated. For a general solution of the forward problem, the finite element method (FEM) is employed to evaluate the scalar potential distribution. Thus, inhomogeneity and anisotropy of conductivity is taken into account for the FEM solutions. An analytical solution for the scalar potential is derived for homogeneous conductive spherical objects in order to test FEM solutions. It is observed that the peak error in FEM solutions is less than 2%. The numerical system is used to reveal the characteristics of the measurement system via simulations. Currents are induced in a 9x9x5 cm body of conductivity 0.2 S m(-1) by circular coils driven sinusoidally. It is found that a 1 cm shift in the perturbation depth reduces the field magnitudes to approximately one-tenth. In addition, the distance between extrema increases. Further simulations carried out using different coil configurations revealed the performance of the method and provided a design perspective for a possible data acquisition system.