BANACH SPACES AND INEQUALITIES ASSOCIATED WITH NEW GENERALIZATION OF CESàRO MATRIX

Let the triangle matrix A^(ru)be a generalization of the Cesàro matrix and U∈{c_(0),c,l_(∞)}.In this study,we essentially deal with the space U(A^(ru))defined by the domain of A^(ru)in the space U and give the bases,and determine the Kothe-Toeplitz,generalized K?theToeplitz and bounded-duals of the space U(A^(ru)).We characterize the classes(l_(∞)(A^(ru)):l_(∞)),(l_(∞)(A^(ru)):c),(c(A^(ru)):c),and(U:V(A^(ru)))of infinite matrices,where V denotes any given sequence space.Additionally,we also present a Steinhaus type theorem.As an another result of this study,we investigate the l_(p)-norm of the matrix A^(ru)and as a result obtaining a generalized version of Hardy's inequality,and some inclusion relations.Moreover,we compute the norm of well-known operators on the matrix domain l_(p)(A^(ru)).

Outcome of split liver transplantation vs living donor liver transplantation:A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND The outcomes of liver transplantation(LT)from different grafts have been studied individually and in combination,but the reports were conflicting with some researchers finding no difference in both short-term and long-term outcomes between the deceased donor split LT(DD-SLT)and living donor LT(LDLT).AIM To compare the outcomes of DD-SLT and LDLT we performed this systematic review and meta-analysis.METHODS This systematic review was performed in compliance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis guidelines.The following databases were searched for articles comparing outcomes of DD-SLT and LDLT:PubMed;Google Scholar;Embase;Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials;the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews;and Reference Citation Analysis(https://www.referencecitationanalysis.com/).The search terms used were:“liver transplantation;”“liver transplant;”“split liver transplant;”“living donor liver transplant;”“partial liver transplant;”“partial liver graft;”“ex vivo splitting;”and“in vivo splitting.”RESULTS Ten studies were included for the data synthesis and meta-analysis.There were a total of 4836 patients.The overall survival rate at 1 year,3 years and 5 years was superior in patients that received LDLT compared to DD-SLT.At 1 year,the hazard ratios was 1.44(95%confidence interval:1.16-1.78;P=0.001).The graft survival rate at 3 years and 5 years was superior in the LDLT group(3 year hazard ratio:1.28;95%confidence interval:1.01-1.63;P=0.04).CONCLUSION This meta-analysis showed that LDLT has better graft survival and overall survival when compared to DD-SLT.

COVID-19 Vaccine Rejection among Muslims in Turkey: Religiosity and Fear of Death

This study aimed to examine the relationship between COVID-19 vaccine refusal and religiosity and fear of death among Muslims living in Turkey. This cross-sectional study was conducted online with 1046 adults aged 18 and older. The Ok-Religious Attitude Scale (Islam) (ORASI) (8 items) and Thorson-Powell Death Anxiety Scale (TPDAS) (20 items) were used as data collection instruments. The data were analyzed using the Pearson chi-square test, Student’s t-test, and binary logistic regression. A p-value of 0.05). In binary logistic regression analysis, vaccine rejection was 7.19 times higher among single people, 50.55 times higher among workers and tradesmen, and 3.36 times higher among people who did not have COVID-19. As religiosity increased, the risk of vaccine refusal decreased 1.037-fold.

Development and Psychometric Assessment of the Dyslexia Awareness Instrument in Teachers

Dyslexia is a specific learning disability that is neurobiological in origin.It is characterized by difficulties with accurate and/or fluent word recognition and by poor spelling and decoding abilities.Teachers may not be very sure about the definition of dyslexia and generally struggle to tell the difference between dyslexic learners and slow learners.Developing the DyAwI may provide an important psychometric assessment tool in determining the awareness level of the teacher and being able to make this distinction.A descriptive,explorative design was used in this study.The study consisted of two main phases.In the first phase,in order to develop the instrument,a literature review and a pilot study on 20 primary school teachers were carried out,and in line with expert opinions,the content validity index was calculated.In the second stage,exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were carried out to identify the construct validity and reliability.The study included 182 primary school teachers for the second stage.The KMO and Bartlett test values,which determine the suitability of DyAwI for factor analysis,were found to be 0.77 and 0.000,respectively.The overall Cronbach’s alpha value of DyAwI was 0.75.As a result of the assessment of its construct validity,the scale consisted of 2 factors and 14 items.The findings of the study show that the tool is reliable and sufficient.The instrument is easy to understand,and this tool can determine the dyslexia awareness levels of teachers.DyAwI could promote teachers’awareness of dyslexia and support the early identification of primary school students with dyslexia.It is believed that,thanks to the data obtained from the instrument,teachers will be able to decide on an educational assessment of a student with reading difficulties more quickly.

Effect of autotransfusion system on tumor recurrence and survival in hepatocellular carcinoma patients

AIM:To investigate the therapeutic efficacy and safety of continuous autotransfusion system(CATS) during liver transplantation of hepatocellular carcinoma patients.METHODS:Eighty-three hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC) patients who underwent liver transplantation with intraoperative CATS(n = 24,CATS group) and without(n = 59,non-CATS group) between April 2006 and November 2011 at the Liver Transplant Institute of Inonu University were analyzed retrospectively.Postoperative HCC recurrence was monitored by measuring alpha-fetoprotein(AFP) levels at 3-mo intervals and performing imaging analysis by thoracoabdominal multidetector computed tomography at 6-month intervals.Inter-group differences in recurrence and correlations between demographic,clinical,and pathological data were assessed by ANOVA and χ 2 tests.Overall and disease-free survivals were calculated by the univariate Kaplan-Meier method.RESULTS:Of the 83 liver transplanted HCC patients,89.2% were male and the overall mean age was 51.3 ± 8.9 years(range:18-69 years).The CATS and nonCATS groups showed no statistically significant differences in age,sex ratio,body mass index,underlying disease,donor type,graft-to-recipient weight ratio,Child-Pugh and Model for End-Stage Liver Disease scores,number of tumors,tumor size,AFP level,Milan and University of California San Francisco selection criteria,tumor differentiation,macrovascular invasion,median hospital stay,recurrence rate,recurrence site,or mortality rate.The mean follow-up time of the nonCATS group was 17.9 ± 12.8 mo,during which systemic metastasis and/or locoregional recurrence developed in 25.4% of the patients.The mean follow-up time for the CATS group was 25.8 ± 15.1 mo,during which systemic metastasis and/or locoregional recurrence was detected in 29.2% of the patients.There was no significant difference between the CATS and non-CATS groups in recurrence rate or site.Additionally,no significant differences existed between the groups in overall or disease-free survival.CONCLUSION:CATS is a safe procedure and may decrease the risk of tumor recurrence in HCC patients.

Graft-versus-host disease after liver transplantation:A comprehensive literature review

AIM:To determine the factors affecting mortality in patients who developed graft-versus-host disease (GvH) after liver transplantation (LT) METHODS:We performed a review of studies of GvH following LT published in the English literature and accessed the PubMed, Medline, EBSCO, EMBASE, and Google Scholar databases Using relevant search phrases, 88 articles were identified. Of these, 61 articles containing most of the study parameters were considered eligible for the study. Risk factors were first examined using a univariate Kaplan-Meier model, and variables with a significant association (P < 0 05) were then subjected to multivariate analyses using a Cox proportional-hazards model RESULTS:The 61 articles reported 87 patients, 58 male and 29 female, mean age, 40.4 ± 15.5 years (range:8 mo to 74 years), who met the inclusion criteria for the present study. Deaths occurred in 59 (67.8%) patients, whereas 28 (32.2%) survived after a mean follow-up period of 280.8 ± 316.2 d (range:27-2285 d). Among the most frequent symptoms were rash (94.2%), fever (66.6%), diarrhea (54%), and pancytopenia (54%). Theaverage time period between LT and first symptom onset was 60.6 ± 190.1 d (range: 2-1865 d). The Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed that pancytopenia (42.8% vs 59.3%,P = 0.03), diarrhea (39.2%vs 61.0%,P = 0 04), age difference between the recipient and the donor (14.6 ± 3.1 yearsvs 22.6 ± 2.7 years,P < 0.0001), and time from first symptom occurrence to diagnosis or treatment (13.3 ± 2.6 mo vs 15.0 ± 2.3 mo, P < 0.0001) were significant factors affecting mortality, whereas age, sex, presence of rash and fever, use of immunosuppressive agents, acute rejection before GvH , etiological causes, time of onset, and donor type were not associated with mortality risk The Cox proportional-hazards model, determined that an age difference between the recipient and donor was an independent risk factor (P = 0 03; hazard ratio, 7.395, 95% confidence interval, 1.2-46.7). CONCLUSION:This study showed that an age difference between the recipient and donor is an independent risk factor for mortality in patients who develop GvH after LT.

Antioxidative effect of melatonin, ascorbic acid and N-acetylcysteine on caerulein-induced pancreatitis and associated liver injury in rats

瞄准：在老鼠在导致 caerulein 的胰腺炎和联系肝损伤上处于导致胰腺炎的肝的损坏和象 melatonin，抗坏血酸和 N 乙酰半胱氨酸那样的抗氧化剂代理人的效果调查氧化损害的角色。方法：38 只女 Wistar 老鼠被使用。尖锐胰腺炎(AP ) 被 caerulein 的二 i.p 注射在 2-h 间隔导致(在 100 microg/kg b.wt 的全部的剂量) 。另外的二个组收到了另外的 melatonin (20 mg/kg b.wt ) 或包含 L (+) 维生素酸(14.3 mg/kb.wt.) 和 N 乙酰半胱氨酸(181 mg/kg b.wt ) 的抗氧化剂混合物立即在 caerulein 的每注射前的 i.p。老鼠被斩首杀头 12 h 在 caerulein 的最后注射以后牺牲。胰腺、肝的氧化压力标记被变化在在织物抗氧化剂酶层次，过氧化氢酶(猫) 和谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶(GPx ) 作为 malondialdehyde (MDA ) 和变化测量的类脂化合物过氧化物的数量评估。组织病理学说的检查用获得系统被执行。结果：肝的房间退化，细胞内部的空泡形成，脉管的拥挤，正弦曲线膨胀和炎性浸润的度显示出在 caerulein 和 caerulein + melatonin 之间的有效差量(P = 0.001 ) ，并且 careulein 和 caerulein + L (+) 维生素酸 +N 乙酰半胱氨酸组(P = 0.002 ) 。ciner 房间退化，胰腺的浮肿，细胞内部的空泡形成和炎性浸润的度显示出在 caerulein 和 caerulein + melatonin 之间的有效差量(P = 0.004 ) ，并且 careulein 和 caerulein + L (+) 维生素酸 +N 乙酰半胱氨酸组(P = 0.002 ) 。 导致Caerulein 胰腺并且肝损坏伴有织物 MDA 层次的重要增加( P = 0.01 ， P = 0.003 ，分别地)而在猫的重要减少( P = 0.002 ， P = 0.003 ，分别地)并且 GPx 活动( P = 0.002 ， P = 0.03 ，分别地)。Melatonin 和 L (+) 维生素 acid+N 乙酰半胱氨酸管理显著地减少了在胰的 MDA 层次(P=0.03， P=0.002，分别地) 并且肝(P = 0.007， P = 0.01，分别地) 。这些代理人的管理增加了胰腺、肝的猫和 GPx 活动。Melatonin 显著地增加了胰腺、肝的猫(P = 0.002， P = 0.001，分别地) 并且 GPx 活动(P = 0.002， P = 0.001 ) 。另外， L (+) 维生素酸 +N 乙酰半胱氨酸显著地增加了胰腺的 GPx (P = 0.002 ) 并且肝的猫和 GPx 活动(P = 0.001， P = 0.007，分别地).CONCLUSION：氧化损害不仅在 AP 的致病而且处于导致胰腺炎的肝的损坏起一个重要作用。抗氧化剂代理人象 melatonin 和抗坏血酸 +N 乙酰半胱氨酸那样，能够限制经由恢复织物抗氧化剂酶活动在 AP 期间生产的胰腺、肝的损坏。

Accurate definition and management of idiopathic sclerosing encapsulating peritonitis

AIM: To review the literature on idiopathic sclerosing encapsulating peritonitis(SEP), also known as abdominal cocoon syndrome. METHODS: The Pub Med, MEDLINE, Google Scholar, and Google databases were searched using specific key words to identify articles related to idiopathic SEP. These key words were "sclerosing encapsulating peritonitis," "idiopathic sclerosing encapsulating peritonitis," "abdominal cocoon," and "abdominal cocoon syndrome." The search included letters tothe editor, case reports, review articles, original articles, and meeting presentations published in the English-language literature from January 2000 to May 2014. Articles or abstracts containing adequate information about age, sex, symptom duration, initial diagnosis, radiological tools, and surgical approaches were included in the study. Papers with missing or inadequate data were excluded. RESULTS: The literature search yielded 73 articles on idiopathic(primary) SEP published in 23 countries. The four countries that published the greatest number of articles were India(n = 21), Turkey(n = 14), China(n = 8) and Nigeria(n = 3). The four countries that reported the greatest number of cases were China(n = 104; 53.88%), India(n = 35; 18.13%), Turkey(n = 17; 8.80%) and Nigeria(n = 5; 2.59%). The present study included 193 patients. Data on age could be obtained for 184 patients(range: 7-87 years; mean ± SD, 34.7 ± 19.2 years), but were unavailable for nine patients. Of the 184 patients, 122 were male and 62 were female; sex data could not be accessed in the remaining nine patients. Of the 149 patients whose preoperative diagnosis information could be obtained, 65(43.6%) underwent operations for abdominal cocoon, while the majority of the remaining patients underwent operations for a presumed diagnosis of intestinal obstruction and/or abdominal mass. Management information could be retrieved for 115 patients. Of these, 68 underwent excision + adhesiolysis(one laparoscopic); 24 underwent prophylactic appendectomy in addition to excision + adhesiolysis. Twenty patients underwent various resection and repair techniques along with excision + adhesiolysis. The remaining three patients were managed with antituberculosis therapy(n = 2) and immunosuppressive therapy(n = 1). CONCLUSION: Idiopathic SEP is a rare disorder characterized by frequently recurring bouts of intestinal obstruction. Surgical therapy is the gold standardmanagement strategy.

Unusual histopathological findings in appendectomy specimens from patients with suspected acute appendicitis

AIM: To investigate the prevalence and implications of unusual histopathological findings in appendectomy specimens from patients with suspected acute appendicitis. METHODS: The demographic and histopathological data of 1621 patients (≥ 16 years-old) who underwent appendectomy to treat an initial diagnosis of acute appendicitis between January 1999 and November 2011 were retrospectively assessed. Microscopic findings were used to classify the patients under six categories: appendix vermiformis, phlegmonous appendicitis, gan- grenous appendicitis, perforated appendicitis, supurative appendicitis, and unusual histopathologic findings. The demographic and clinicopathologic characteristics of patients with unusual histopathologic findings were evaluated in detail, and re-analysis of archived resected appendix specimens was carried out. RESULTS: A total of 912 males and 709 females, from16 to 94 years old, were included in the study and comprised 789 cases of suppurative appendicitis, 370 cases of appendix vermiformis, 243 cases of perforated gangrenous appendicitis, 53 cases of flegmaneous appendicitis, 32 cases of gangrenous appendicitis, and 134 (8.3%) cases of unusual histopathological findings. The unusual histopathological findings included fibrous obliteration (n = 62), enterobius vermicularis (n = 31), eosinophilic infiltration (n = 10), mucinous cystadenoma (n = 8), carcinoid tumor (n = 6), granulomatous inflammation (n = 5), adenocarcinoma (n = 4; one of them mucinous), and mucocele (n = 3), adenomatous polyp (n = 1), taenia sup (n = 1), ascaris lumbricoides (n = 1), appendiceal diverticula (n = 1), and B cell non-hodgkin lymphoma (n = 1). None of the 11 patients with subsequent diagnosis of tumor were suspected of cancer prior to the appendectomy. CONCLUSION: Even when the macroscopic appearance of appendectomy specimens is normal, histopathological assessment will allow early diagnosis of many unusual diseases.

Associating liver partition and portal vein ligation for staged hepatectomy for extensive alveolar echinococcosis:First case report in the literature

Alveolar echinococcosis(AE) is a zoonotic disease that is caused by Echinococcus multilocularis that affects liver and a variety of organs and tissues. It differs from other echinococcal disease because it shows tumor like behavior in the affected organ and tissues. The treatment of choice is concomitant medical therapy and resection with negative margins. Nevertheless, resection with the intent of negative margins(R0) may lead to serious complications such as liver failure. In the present case report, we used Associating Liver Partition and Portal Vein Ligation for Staged Hepatectomy(ALPPS) procedure, which was defined in 2012 by Schnitzbauer et al, in a 28-year-old male patient to avoid complications of major liver resection in order to treat alveolar echinococcosis. Until now, we have not encountered any study using ALPPS procedure for the treatment of alveolar echinococcosis. In the present case report we aimed to show that ALPPS procedure can be safely performed for marginnegative resection of primary or recurrent AE that shows a tumor like behavior. It is our opinion that this procedure should be performed in centers that have expertise and sufficient technical capacity to perform liver transplantation and advanced liver surgery.

Incidence and clinical presentation of portal vein thrombosis in cirrhotic patients

BACKGROUND: Portal vein thrombosis (PVT) is due to many risk factors, but its pathogenesis is still not clearly understood. To identify the risk factors for PVT, we analyzed the clinical characteristics and complications associated with PVT in cir-rhotic patients. METHODS: We studied patients with liver cirrhosis who were admitted to our unit from April 2009 to December 2014. The patients were divided into the PVT and non-PVT groups, and were compared by variables including gender, age, the etiology of cirrhosis, stage of cirrhosis, complications, imaging, and treatment. RESULTS: PVT was found in 45 (9.8%) of 461 cirrhotic pa-tients admitted to our hospital. Most patients (45.9%) had hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related cirrhosis, with a similar dis-tribution of etiologies between the groups. However, there was no positive relationship between PVT and etiologies of cirrhosis. Most patients (71.5%) were in the stage of hepatic decompensation. No statistically signiifcant differences were found in complications including esophageal varices, ascites, and hepatic encephalopathy between the groups. However, there was a signiifcant positive correlation between hepatocel-lular carcinoma (HCC) and PVT (P<0.01). In 30 patients with PVT, thrombosis occurred in the portal vein and/or portal branches, 37.8% were diagnosed on ultrasound. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of PVT was 9.8%, mainly in patients with HBV-related cirrhosis. The development of PVT was associated with the severity of liver disease and HCC.

Association of CagA and VacA presence with ulcer and non-ulcer dyspepsia in a Turkish population

AIM: The mostly known genotypic virulence features, of H. pyloriare cytotoxin associated gene A (ragA) and Vacuolating cytotoxin gene A (VacA). We investigated the association of these major virulence factors with ulcer and non-ulcer dyspepsia in our region.METHODS: One hundred and forty two dyspeptic patients were studied (average age 44.8±15.9 years, range 15-87years, 64 males and 78 females). Antral and corpus biopsies were taken for detecting and genotyping of H. pylori. 107patients who were H. pylori positive by histological assessment were divided into three groups according to endoscopic findings: Duodenal ulcer (DU), gastric ulcer (GU)and non-ulcer dyspepsia (NUD). The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to detect CagA and VacA genes of H.pylori using specific primers.RESULTS: H.pyloriwas isolated from 75.4 % (107/142) of the patients. Of the 107 patients, 66 (61.7 %) were cagApositive and 82 (76.6 %) were Vacl-positive. CagA gene was positively associated with DU and GU (P＜0.01, P＜0.02),but not with NUD (P＞0.05). Although VacA positivity in ulcer patients was higher than that in NUD group, the difference was not statistically significant (P＞0.05).CONCLUSION: There is a significantly positive association between CagA genes and DU and GU. The presence of VacA is not a predictive marker for DU, GU, and NUD in our patients.

Evaluation of peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer, macula and ganglion cell thickness in amblyopia using spectral optical coherence tomography

AIM:To investigate peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL), macula and ganglion cell layer thicknesses (GCC) in amblyopic eyes with spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT). METHODS:Thirty six patients with a history of unilateral amblyopia and thirty two children who had emmetropia without amblyopia were included in this study. In this institutional study, 36 eyes of 36 patients with amblyopia (AE), 36 fellow eyes without amblyopia (FE), and 32 eyes of 32 normal subjects (NE) were included. RNFL, GCC and macular thickness measurements were performed with RS-3000 OCT Retina Scan (Nidek Inc CA. USA). RESULTS:The mean global thicknesses of the RNFL were 113.22 ±21.47, 111.57 ±18.25, 109.96 ±11.31μm in the AE, FE, and NE, respectively. There was no statistically significant difference for mean global RNFL thickness among the eyes (P =0.13). The mean thicknesses of the macula were 258.25±18.31, 258.75±19.54, 248.62±10.57μm in the AE, FE and NE, respectively. There was no statistically significant difference for thickness of macula among the eyes (P =0.06). The GCC was investigated into two parts:superior and inferior. The mean thicknesses of superior GCC were 102.57 ±13.32, 103.32 ±10.64, 100.52 ± 5.88μm in the AE, FE, and NE, respectively. The mean thicknesses of inferior GCC were 103.82 ±12.60, 107.82 ± 12.33, 105.86±10.79μm in the AE, FE and NE, respectively. There was no statistically significant difference for thickness of superior and inferior GCC between the eyes (P =0.63, P =0.46). ·CONCLUSION:The macular thicknesses of AE and FE were greater than the NE, although it was not statistically significant. Amblyopia does not seem to have a profound effect on the RNFL, macula and GCC.

COVID-19 pandemic:Its impact on liver disease and liver transplantation

Severe pulmonary disease caused by the novel coronavirus[severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARS-CoV-2)],has devastated many countries around the world.It has overwhelmed the medical system.The priorities of many institutions have changed to manage critically ill corona virus infectious disease-2019(COVID-19)patients,which affected the working style of many departments.Hepatologists and transplant surgeons look after a very sensitive patient group.Patients with liver disease need special attention and continuous follow-up.Similarly,transplant candidates also need special care.Healthcare professionals in the field of hepatology face the overwhelming task of taking care of COVID-19 patients with hepatic complications,liver disease or transplant patients who are SARS-CoV-2 positive,and the patients on routine surveillance who do not have COVID-19.This review will evaluate COVID-19 from the perspective of its effect on the liver and its possible effects on patients with liver disease.Furthermore,the level of care for liver transplant recipients during the pandemic will be discussed.

Role of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography in the management of hepatic hydatid disease

Most cases of hepatic hydatid disease exhibit uncomplicated clinical course and management.However,the diagnosis and management of complicated hepatic hydatid disease is a special issue.One of the most common and serious complications of hepatic hydatid disease is the rupture of the cyst into intrahepatic bile ducts.The clinical appearance of intrabiliary rupture can range from asymptomatic to jaundice,cholecystitis,cholangitis,liver abscess,pancreatitis and septicemia.Current treatments for major ruptures can result in high morbidity and mortality rates.Furthermore,ruptures that cannot be diagnosed preoperatively can induce complications such as biliary fistulae,biloma,cavitary infection and obstructive jaundice.In the past,these complications were diagnosed and treated by surgical methods.Currently,complications in both the pre- and postoperative periods are diagnosed and treated by non-invasive or minimally invasive methods.In clinical practice,endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography(ERCP) is indicated for patients with preoperative frank intrabiliary rupture in which hydatid elements are clearly seen in the bile ducts,or for biliary adverse events after surgery,including persistent biliary fistulae and jaundice.However,controversy concerning routine preoperative ERCP and prophylactic endoscopic sphincterotomy in patients suspected of having minor cystobiliary communications still remains.In this article,the role of ERCP in the diagnosis and management of hepatic hydatid disease during the pre- and postoperative periods is reviewed.

Cytoprotective effects of amifostine,ascorbic acid and N-acetylcysteine against methotrexate-induced hepatotoxicity in rats

AIM:To investigate the potential role of oxidative stress and the possible therapeutic effects of N-acetyl cysteine(NAC),amifostine(AMF)and ascorbic acid(ASC)in methotrexate(MTX)-induced hepatotoxicity.METHODS:An MTX-induced hepatotoxicity model was established in 44 male Sprague Dawley rats by administration of a single intraperitoneal injection of20 mg/kg MTX.Eleven of the rats were left untreated(Model group;n=11),and the remaining rats were treated with a 7-d course of 50 mg/kg per day NAC (MTX+NAC group;n=11),50 mg/kg per single dose AMF(MTX+AMF group;n=11),or 10 mg/kg per day ASC(MTX+ASC group;n=11).Eleven rats that received no MTX and no treatments served as the negative control group.Structural and functional changes related to MTX-and the various treatments were assessed by histopathological analysis of liver tissues and biochemical assays of malondialdehyde(MDA),superoxide dismutase(SOD),catalase,glutathione(GSH)and xanthine oxidase activities and of serum levels of aspartate aminotransferase,alanine aminotransferase,alkaline phosphatase and total bilirubin.RESULTS:Exposure to MTX caused structural and functional hepatotoxicity,as evidenced by significantly worse histopathological scores[median(range)injury score:control group:1(0-3)vs 7(6-9),P=0.001]and significantly higher MDA activity[409(352-466)nmol/g vs 455.5(419-516)nmol/g,P<0.05].The extent of MTX-induced perturbation of both parameters was reduced by all three cytoprotective agents,but only the reduction in hepatotoxicity scores reached statistical significance[4(3-6)for NAC,4.5(3-5)for AMF and 6(5-6)for ASC;P=0.001,P=0.001 and P<0.005vs model group respectively].Exposure to MTX also caused a significant reduction in the activities of GSH and SOD antioxidants in liver tissues[control group:3.02(2.85-3.43)μmol/g and 71.78(61.88-97.81)U/g vs model group:2.52(2.07-3.34)μmol/g and 61.46(58.27-67.75)U/g,P<0.05];however,only the NAC treatment provided significant increases in these antioxidant enzyme activities[3.22(2.54-3.62)μmol/g and 69.22(61.13-100.88)U/g,P<0.05 and P<0.01vs model group respectively].CONCLUSION:MTX-induced structural and functional damage to hepatic tissues in rats may involve oxidative stress,and cytoprotective agents(NAC>AMF>ASC)may alleviate MTX hepatotoxicity.

Dysentery caused by Balantidium coliin a patient with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma from Turkey

Balantidium coli is the only parasitic ciliate of man. It is a flattened oval organism covered with cilia, and a gullet at the anterior end. It is infrequently pathogenic for man,although epidemic buds in tropical zones have been described. The infection fundamentally affects the colon and causes variable clinic pictures, from asymptomatic to serious dysenteric forms. We present a case of parasitologically diagnosed as causes of diarrhea in a patient with non Hodgkin's lymphoma from Turkey.In order to find out the causative etiologic agent of diarrhea,stool samples were examined by native,lugol and flotation methods and we detected moving trophozoites, which were approximately 60μm long and 35μm wide.These bodies were diagnosed as Balantidium coli This case underlines that Balantidium coli should also be considered as a possible pathogen in immunocompromised patients with diarrhea.

Laparoscopic right-sided colonic resection with transluminal colonoscopic specimen extraction

AIM: To study the transcolonic extraction of the proximally resected colonic specimens by colonoscopic assistance at laparoscopic colonic surgery. METHODS: The diagnoses of our patients were Crohn's disease, carcinoid of appendix and adenocarcinoma of cecum. We preferred laparoscopic total mesocolic resections. Colon and terminal ileum were divided with endoscopic staplers. A colonoscope was placed per anal and moved proximally in the colon till to reach the colonic closed end under the laparoscopic guidance. The stump of the colon was opened with laparoscopic scissors. A snare of colonoscope was released and the intraperitoneal complete free colonic specimen was grasped. Specimen was moved in to the colon with the help of the laparoscopic graspers and pulled gently through the large bowel and extracted through the anus. The open end of the colon was closed again and the ileal limb and the colon were anastomosed intracorporeally with a 60-mm laparoscopic stapler. The common enterotomy orifice was closed in two layers with a running intracorporeal suture.RESULTS: There were three patients with laparoscopic right-sided colonic resections and their specimens were intended to remove through the remnant colon by colonoscopy but the procedure failed in one patient(adenocarcinoma) due to a bulky mass and the specimen extraction was converted to transvaginal route. All the patients had prior abdominal surgeries and had related adhesions. The operating times were 210, 300 and 500 min. The lengths of the specimenswere 13, 17 and 27 cm. In our cases, there were no superficial or deep surgical site infections or any other complications. The patients were discharged uneventfully within 4-5 d and they were asymptomatic after a mean 7.6 mo follow-up(ranged 4-12). As far as we know, there were only 12 cases reported yet on transcolonic extraction of the proximal colonic specimens by colonoscopic assistance after laparoscopic resections. With our cases, success rate of the overall experience in the literature was 80%(12/15) in selected cases. CONCLUSION: Transcolonic specimen extraction for right-sided colonic resection is feasible in selected patients. Both natural orifice surgery and intracorporeal anastomosis avoids mini-laparotomy for specimen extraction or anastomosis.

A Note on Robust Stability Analysis of Fractional Order Interval Systems by Minimum Argument Vertex and Edge Polynomials

By using power mapping(s =v^m),stability analysis of fractional order polynomials was simplified to the stability analysis of expanded degree integer order polynomials in the first Riemann sheet.However,more investigation is needed for revealing properties of power mapping and demonstration of conformity of Hurwitz stability under power mapping of fractional order characteristic polynomials.Contributions of this study have two folds: Firstly,this paper demonstrates conservation of root argument and magnitude relations under power mapping of characteristic polynomials and thus substantiates validity of Hurwitz stability under power mapping of fractional order characteristic polynomials.This also ensures implications of edge theorem for fractional order interval systems.Secondly,in control engineering point of view,numerical robust stability analysis approaches based on the consideration of minimum argument roots of edge and vertex polynomials are presented.For the computer-aided design of fractional order interval control systems,the minimum argument root principle is applied for a finite set of edge and vertex polynomials,which are sampled from parametric uncertainty box.Several illustrative examples are presented to discuss effectiveness of these approaches.

Metal-Organic Framework Materials for Electrochemical Supercapacitors

Exploring new materials with high stability and capacity is full of challenges in sustainable energy conversion and storage systems.Metal-organic frameworks(MOFs),as a new type of porous material,show the advantages of large specific surface area,high porosity,low density,and adjustable pore size,exhibiting a broad application prospect in the field of electrocatalytic reactions,batteries,particularly in the field of supercapacitors.This comprehensive review outlines the recent progress in synthetic methods and electrochemical performances of MOF materials,as well as their applications in supercapacitors.Additionally,the superiorities of MOFs-related materials are highlighted,while major challenges or opportunities for future research on them for electrochemical supercapacitors have been discussed and displayed,along with extensive experimental experiences.