Objective We purposed to investigate the relationship between lipid peroxidation and upper gastrointestinal (GI) cancers which have a high prevalence rate in Van region. Method Plasma malondialdehyde (MDA), end product of lipid peroxidation was determined in 11 patients with esophageal cancer, 16 patients with gastric cancer and 14 healthy controls by thiobarbituric acid reactivity. Results Mean MDA values were 5.20 ± 0.68 nmol/ml., 6.96 ± 1.24 nmol/ml. and 2.33 ± 0.27 nmol/ml. in esophageal cancer, gastric cancer and control groups respectively. In both of cancer groups MDA values were significantly higher than control group (p<0.01, student’s t test) but were not different from each other (p>0.05). Conclusion These findings suggest the role of lipid peroxidation in the etiopathogenesis of upper G I cancers.

Objective We aimed to make a continent neobladder from the caecum and the ascending colon, using the distal ileum as a neourethra which was pulled through the anal sphincter. Method The experiment was carried on six street dogs of which 2 were males and 4 females. In the first stage, only urethral replacement with an ileal segment was done and pulled through the anal sphincter in a female dog to see if anal sphincter would do any help for continence. An ileocaecal segment was used as a neobladder and neourethra in the second step of our experimental study. Results The dog in which the first operation was made gained continence on the 12th postoperative day. No residual urine was found by catheterisation performed after urination. In controls, neither the stoma nor the anastomosis site developed stenosis. The other 5 dogs became continent 12 to 20 days after the catheters were removed, and a great deal of residual urine volume remained in the neobladder. Conclusion Anal sphincter controlled urinary diversion using ileocaecal segment offers us a new hope to achieve continence in the bladder replacements.

Objective In a prospective randomized study, the effects of a potent endogenous free radical scavenger melatonin on extracorporeal-shock-wave lithotripsy (ESWL) induced renal impairment were studied. Method An experimental study was performed in 30 rabbits. The animals were divided into two groups. Both groups were exposed to 3000 shock waves at 18 kV. The animals in the first group were treated with melatonin for eight days. Controls and melatonin treated rabbits were sacrificed a week after ESWL. The activities of the two principal antioxidant enzymes; superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathion peroxidase (GPx) were determined. And also, the level of malondialdehite (MDA) which is the product of lipid peroxidation was measured in the kidney tissue. Results The mean activities of SOD and GPx were significantly lower in the melatonin treated group than in the controls. Also the mean level of MDA was significantly lower in the melatonin treated group as compared to the controls. Conclusion Our results indicate that melatonin may exibit a protective effect on free radical-mediated oxidative damage induced by ESWL in rabbit kidney.

Objective The purpose of this study was to determine the hypertrophy occurring in quadriceps muscle after Oxford and De-Lorme exercises in healthy subjects by computed tomographic area measurement, and compare with the controls. Methods 30 healthy untrained volunteers were randomly selected. All subjects were male and mean age was 19.8±1.54. Subjects were assigned into three groups of 10 people and were exercised for four weeks. The first group took part in Oxford exercise group, the second De-Lorme group and the third group did not do any exercise. The computed tomographic sections were taken from the thigh. The CT scan of the thighs were made halfway between the pubic symphisis and the mid-point of patella to calculate total thigh area. Thigh girths at the level of midthigh had been measured up to 20 cm from mid-patella. The evaluations were made before starting exercise and after four-week exercise program. Results In Oxford and De-Lorme groups midthigh composition from computerized tomographic scans showed an increase in total quadriceps area. Increase in quadriceps muscle area was associated with thigh girths . Conclusion We concluded that both Oxford and De-Lorme exercises produced significant muscle hypertrophy.

Objective The aim of the study was to find out the refractive and visual results of posterior chamber lens implantation into phakic eyes for correction of high myopia and the reliability of the method. Method The Russian designed, negative silicone intraocular contact lenses (ICLs) were implanted into 54 eyes of 30 patients having high myopia by the same surgeon (OFY). Under general anaesthesia in all eyes a negative ICLs were implanted on the crystalline lens through a 6 mm corneal incision at the steepest axis and dilated pupil. Results A decrease in refractive error was achieved in all eyes. Twenty-four of the eyes (44.4 %) were within ±1.00 diopter (D), and all eyes were within ±2.00 D of the attempted correction. The mean best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was 4.25/10 preoperatively and 7.80/10 postoperatively (p<.001). No serious complication was seen except for ICL damage by the lens holder in 2 eyes (3.7 %) peroperatively and a transient intraocular pressure (IOP) increase in 9 eyes (16.6 %) in the postoperative period. Conclusion The clinical and functional follow-up of the ICL implantation indicates that this method of high degree myopia correction is a good alternative when photorefractive keratectomy, LASIK and radial keratotomy are unavailable or unsuitable. A long term follow-up of the results of the negative ICL implantation has not been made yet. Thus the clinical and functional results of this technique indicate the need for further improvement of this method for myopic correction.

Objective In the present study, effects of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) infection on total content of essential trace elements and alterations of these element contents during antimonial therapy were investigated. Method 40 patients diagnosed with CL, and 32 healthy subject were included in the study. Pentavalent antimonial compounds (Glucantime) were given intramuscularly (20 mg/kg/day) for three weeks in the patient group. Serum copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) concentrations were measured by Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (FAAS), and iron (Fe) concentrations were measured by colorimetric method. Results Before antimonial therapy; Cu concentrations were found to be significantly higher than those of healthy subjects (p<0.05). However, Zn and Fe concentrations were lower in the patient group (p<0.01). Cu levels were found to have tendency to decrease, while Zn and Fe levels were increase during the period of antimonial therapy (p<0.001, p<0.01, p<0.01 respectively). Conclusion Our findings showed that serum trace element concentrations change in CL infection, probably parallel to host defense mechanisms, and these changes might partially be turned back to normal levels by antimonial therapy.

Objective The aim of this study is to determine acyclovir concentration in sera of sheep and human as well as human urine and saliva. Methods Acyclovir determination is achieved on C8 (150x4.6 mm) column by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with fluorescence detector. Extraction of samples with HCIO4 helped to precipitate proteins whilw shortening clean-up steps. Results Compare to prior studies, utilization of 0.02 M HCIO4 organic solvent as a mobile phase reduced the separation expenses. Besides mobile phase was delivered at isocratic condition. Each sample has been reproducible within 10-30 minutes depending on kind of sample. Recovery of acyclovir from sheep sera was 81.6%. After oral administration of 200mg dosage to healthy volunteers, saliva acyclovir concentration reached a level of 1.25 µg/ml±3.4 SE within one hour. Serum acyclovir concentrations seem to be negatively correlated with saliva concentration (r:-0.99, p<0.009). Conclusion Acyclovir concentration in sera of sheep and human as well as human urine and saliva can be easily determined on C8 column by high performance HPLC. The results indicated that saliva may be the one of the major excretion route for acyclovir in healthy individuals.

Objective We retrospectively evaluated the outcome of venous repairs in patients who underwent operation. Method We report the management of 33 patients with venous injury without arterial injury. The mechanisms of injuries were gunshot wounds in 6 patients, stab wounds in 25, and blunt trauma in 2 patients. There were inferior caval vein injuries in 2 patients, azygos vein in 1, superior mesenteric vein in 1, external iliac vein in 4, common femoral vein in 5, superficial femoral vein in 16, and popliteal vein in 4. The management included lateral venorrhaphy in 2, venous patch angioplasty in 9, end to end anastomosis in 19, reversed saphen vein graft in 2, and ligation in 1 patient. To prevent venous thrombosis low molecular weight-dextran was used after venous repair. Results One patient with combined thoracic and abdominal injuries died 3 days after the operation. The remaning 32 patients survived. Color duplex sonography was performed in 6 patients with abdominal venous injuries following the operation, and revealed patent veins in all cases. Postoperative venography was performed 3 months or later in 25 patients with peripheric venous injures, 18 of whom had basically normal veins with functioning valves. In the remaining 7 patients, venography demonstrated venous thrombosis. Conclusion We suggest that the repair of venous injuries may be the procedure of choice rather than ligation even in patients with associated visceral injuries.