Mehmet Sarac

Irisin immunohistochemistry in gastrointestinal system cancers

Cancer is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Some studies have shown that high heat kills cancer cells. Irisin is a protein involved in heat production by converting white into brown adipose tissue, but there is no information about how its expression changes in cancerous tissues. We used irisin antibody immunohistochemistry to investigate changes in irisin expression in gastrointestinal cancers compared to normal tissues. Irisin was found in human brain neuroglial cells, esophageal epithelial cells, esophageal epidermoid carcinoma, esophageal adenocarcinoma and neuroendocrine esophageal carcinoma, gastric glands, gastric adenosquamous carcinoma, gastric neuroendocrine carcinoma, gastric signet ring cell carcinoma, neutrophils in vascular tissues, intestinal glands of colon, colon adenocarcinoma, mucinous colon adenocarcinoma, hepatocytes, hepatocellular carcinoma, islets of Langerhans, exocrine pancreas, acinar cells and interlobular and interlobular ducts of normal pancreas, pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, and intra- and interlobular ducts of cancerous pancreatic tissue. Histoscores (area × intensity) indicated that irisin was increased significantly in gastrointestinal cancer tissues, except liver cancers. Our findings suggest that the relation of irisin to cancer warrants further investigation.

Abdominotransanal approach to pouch colon associated with rectal atresia

Pouch colon anomaly and high anorectal malformation are well-defined rare anomalies. The association of pouch colon anomaly with rectal atresia has previously been defined in only one case. In this study, a 2-day-old baby is presented with pouch colon anomaly without fistula and with rectal atresia. As a second case in the literature, this pathologic condition has been treated through the abdominotransanal route by using a single-stage endorectal coloanal pull-through. Being uncommon and having an important therapeutic approach, this case has been evaluated as worth presenting.

A Study of Foreign Body Aspiration in Children.

Aim:To analyze diagnostic and therapeutic methods used in the diagnosis and treatment of foreign body aspiration (FBA) and to determine the impact of technical infrastructure on mortality and morbidity. Methods:Hospital records of patients diagnosed with FBA between the years 1987 and 2015 were retrospectively evaluated. The patients were grouped according to the length of time until their admission to the hospital as follows: Group I (0–24 h); Group II (1–7 days); Group III (>7 days). Age, sex, history, existing symptoms, physical examination, endoscopic and radiological findings, time to treatment, type and location of the foreign body, treatment modality, mortality and morbidity rates were recorded. A rigid bronchoscopy procedure was performed between 1987 and 2005 (Phase 1) without the need for an optic telescope, while between 2006 and 2015, it was performed using a rigid bronchoscope equipped with an optical telescope and HD camera (Phase 2). Results:A total of 513 patients [male, n = 328 (63.9%) and female, n = 185 (36%)] who had complaints of FBA were evaluated. The mean age of the patients was 3.7 ± 3.5 years. In order of decreasing frequency, sunflower seeds, peanuts, and hazelnuts (38% of all patients) were extracted. Bronchoscopy could not detect a foreign body in 127 (24.7%) patients. Foreign bodies were mostly observed in the right (43.3%) main bronchus. When the locations of the foreign bodies were analyzed, significant differences were found for subglottic foreign bodies (FBs) between Groups I and III and for FBs located within the bifurcation between Groups II and III. The most prevalent symptom was sudden onset of coughing in 231 (45%) patients. A significant difference was detected between Groups I and II, as well as Groups I and III, for sudden onset of coughing, decrease in breathing sounds, wheezing, and fever. No abnormal radiological signs were detected in 136 (26.5%) patients. Manifestations of emphysema were significantly more frequent in Group I, pneumonia in both Groups II and III, and pleural effusion in Group III. When complications related to bronchoscopy were evaluated, a significant increase was observed in transient complications in Group III compared with Groups I and II. The negative bronchoscopy rate in Phase I was statistically significantly higher than that in Phase II. Conclusions:When the length of time elapsed till admission to a hospital was considered, a decrease in morbidity rates was observed in patients who presented at a hospital within the first 24 hours. In the diagnosis of suspect patients, virtual bronchoscopy seriously decreased the incidence of negative bronchoscopy. The authors determined that for bronchoscopic procedures, the renewal of technical ultrastructure with technological advances strongly contributed to a decrease in mortality and morbidity as a result of FBA in paediatric patients.

Serum, Saliva, and Urine Irisin with and Without Acute Appendicitis and Abdominal Pain

A 112-amino-acid protein irisin (IRI) is widely expressed in many organs, but we currently do not know whether appendix tissue and blood cells express it. If appendix tissue and neutrophil cells express IRI, measuring its concentration in biological fluids might be helpful in the diagnosis of acute appendicitis (AA), since neutrophil cells are the currently gold-standard laboratory parameters for the diagnosis of AA. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the suitability of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay-based measurements of the proposed myokine IRI for the discrimination of patients with AA from those with acute abdominal pain (AP) and healthy controls. Moreover, immunoreactivity to IRI was investigated in appendix tissues and blood cells. Samples were collected on admission (T1), 24 hours (T2), and 72 hours (T3) postoperatively from patients with suspected AA and from patients with AP corresponding to T1-T3, whereas control subject blood was once corresponding to T1. IRI was measured in serum, saliva, and urine by using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, whereas in appendix tissue and blood cells, IRI was detected by immunohistohcemistry. Appendix tissue and blood cells (except for erythrocytes) are new sources of IRI. Basal saliva, urine, and serum levels were higher in children with AA compared with postoperative levels (T2) that start to decline after surgery. This is in line with the finding that IRI levels are higher in children with AA when compared with those with AP or control subject levels, most likely due to a large infiltration of neutrophil cells in AA that release its IRI into body fluids. Measurement of IRI in children with AA parallels the increase or decrease in the neutrophil count. This new finding shows that the measurement of IRI and neutrophil count can together improve the diagnosis of AA, and it can distinguish it from AP. IRI can be a candidate marker for the diagnosis of AA and offers an additional parameter to neutrophil count. The promising receiving operating curve results indicate the following sensitivities and specificities, respectively, for IRI: serum 90% and 55%, saliva 90% and 60%, and urine 90% and 50%. Serum neutrophil count gave a sensitivity of 90% and a specificity of 90%. This promising result now needs to be confirmed in a larger group of patients.

Bladder perforations in children

CONTEXT Bladder perforations in children occur due to several different reasons. AIM In this clinical series study, we focused on bladder perforations due to the pelvic injury, and our aim also was to create awareness for a rare type of bladder injuries. SETTING AND DESIGN This was a retrospective study of the patients who were treated in our clinic for bladder perforation between 2006 and 2011. SUBJECTS AND METHODS We reviewed the documents of childhood bladder perforations, and demographic and clinical characteristics of the patients were obtained. No statistical analyses were used because of the limited number of cases. RESULTS There were ten patients who suffered from bladder perforation in 5-year period; 5 were male, and 5 were female. The mean age of the patients was 4.35 years. Four patients (40%) experienced iatrogenic perforation and six patients (60%) experienced perforation due to the accident. Common symptoms were hematuria, abdominal tenderness, and inability to urinate. Three patients were diagnosed via emergency laparotomy, without any radiological examinations performed before surgery. Four patients suffered from the intraperitoneal perforation, three patients suffered from extraperitoneal injury and three of them both of intraperitoneal and extraperitoneal injuries. Mean recovery time for patients was 15 days. One patient developed a urinary tract infection and one newborn died due to accompanying morbidities. Nine patients were discharged from the hospital. CONCLUSION If the patients had a pelvic injury, surgeons must pay attention for the bladder perforation. Isolated bladder perforations are rare, and they are generally associated with iatrogenic injuries. Clinicians should pay attention to findings such as anuria, inability to insert a urinary catheter, and free fluid in the abdomen in order to diagnose the bladder perforation in newborns. Novice surgeons should pay more attention to avoid causing iatrogenic bladder perforation during inguinal hernia repair.

Comparison of the therapeutic effects of sildenafil citrate, heparin and neuropeptides in a rat model of acetic acid-induced gastric ulcer

Aims: The purpose of our investigative work has been to determine whether there can be therapeutic roles in the administration of sildenafil citrate, heparin and several neuropeptides on an animal model where gastric ulcers were induced with acetic acid, and to compare their efficacy. Materials and methods: The animals were divided into 13 groups, with 4 animals in each. Gastric ulcers was induced in the animals of 12 groups with one untreated group being left as the control (Group I ‐ control; given normal saline (NS)). The other groups were: Group II (ulcer + NS); Group III (5 mg/kg sildenafil citrate, low dose); Group IV (10 mg/kg sildenafil citrate, high dose); Group V (0.6 mg/kg heparin, low dose); Group VI (6 mg/kg heparin, high dose); Group VII (20 nmol/kg des‐acyl ghrelin); Group VIII (40 nmol/kg des‐acyl ghrelin); Group IX (4 nmol/kg acyl ghrelin); Group X (8 nmol/kg acly ghrelin); Group XI (20 pmol/kg Nesfatin‐1); Group XII (15 nmol/kg Obestatin) and Group XIII (5 nmol/kg Neuropeptide Y). Gastric neuropeptide expression was measured using an immunohistochemical method, and the amount in circulation was detected using ELISA. To compare with no treatment, the controls and other treatment groups, we recorded loss of the surface epithelium of the stomach, erosion, bleeding and inflammatory cell infiltration in the upper halves of the gastric glands. Key findings: The muscularis and the layers beneath it were, however, apparently normal. The gastric mucosa healed with little or no inflammation when sildenafil citrate, low dose heparin, ghrelin, NUCB2/Nesfatin‐1, obestatin, Neuropeptide Y were administered. Significance: Overall the data indicate that low dose heparin, and especially sildenafil citrate and neuropeptides, can be used clinically as an alternative approach in the treatment of the gastric ulcer. HIGHLIGHTSSildenafil citrate is the most promising agent in the treatment of gastric (peptic) ulcer.Neuropeptides can be important among the options for the treatment of gastric ulcers.Although heparin has the potential to treat the gastric ulcer, it is the weakest option.Nesfatin‐1, Obestatin and Neuropeptide Y decrease in the circulation and the gastric tissue when ulcers are present.

Bochdalek hernia and intrathoracic ectopic kidney: Presentation of two case reports and review of the literature

Bochdalek hernia is a congenital abnormality with high morbidity and mortality characterized by passage of the abdominal organs into the thoracic cavity through a diaphragmatic defect. Intrathoracic location of abdominal organs such as kidneys is very rare, with a reported incidence of only 0.25% in the literature. Herein, we present two cases of Bochdalek hernia with a herniation of intra-abdominal organ such as kidney that was treated in our clinic and compare this rare case with those in the literature. In both cases, the functionally normal kidneys were left in situ during diaphragmatic repair. No complications were observed during the postoperative period, and 10- and 1-year follow-ups. In cases with Bochdalek hernia associated with an intrathoracic ectopic kidney, the functionally normal ectopic kidneys were left in situ during repair of the diaphragmatic defect without complications.

Ghrelin and NUCB2/Nesfatin-1 expression in unilateral testicular torsion-induced rats with and without N-acetylcysteine

Testicular torsion (TT) is a common urological problem in the field of pediatric surgery. The degree and duration of torsion determines the degree of testicular damage; however, its effects on the expression of octanoylated ghrelin and nucleobindin 2 (NUCB2) /nesfatin-1 synthetized from testicular tissue remain unclear. We explored the effects of experimentally induced unilateral TT on serum and contralateral testicular tissue ghrelin and NUCB2/nesfatin-1 levels, and determined whether N-acetyl cysteine (NAS) treatment had any effects on their expression. A total of 42 Wistar Albino strain rats were divided into 7 groups: Group (G) I control, GII sham, GIII 12-hour torsion, GIV 12-hour torsion + detorsion + 100 mg/kg NAS, GV 24-hour torsion, GVI 24-hour torsion + detorsion + 100 mg/kg NAS, and GVII 100 mg/kg NAS. Octanoylated ghrelin and NUCB2/nesfatin-1 concentrations were evaluated in serum using the ELISA method and in testicular tissue with immunohistochemical methods. Immunoreactivity of octanoylated ghrelin significantly increased in GI compared to GIII, GV, and GVI (p<0.05). NUCB2/nesfatin-1 immunoreactivity increased in GV and GVIII relative to GI (p<0.05). In the 12-hour torsion group, a significant decrease in octanoylated ghrelin levels with NAS treatment was observed; however, in the 24-hour torsion group, a significant decrease was not observed. In the 12-hour torsion + NAS treatment group, a significant change was not observed in NUCB2/nesfatin-1 expression. Following 24-hour torsion, an increase in NUCB2/nesfatin-1 levels was observed, and NAS treatment did not reverse this increase. It was determined that increases in the expression of octanoylated ghrelin and NUCB2/nesfatin-1, the latter of which was a result of TT, reflect damage in this tissue. Importantly, NAS treatment could prevent this damage. Thus, there may be a clinical application for the combined use of NAS and octanoylated ghrelin in preventing TT-related infertility.

Recent changes in the features of hypertrophic pyloric stenosis

Hypertrophic pyloric stenosis (HPS) is a rare cause of non‐bilious vomiting in young infants; the condition requires surgical management. Diagnosis is based on clinical, laboratory, and radiological findings. In the present study, we evaluate recent changes in the features of HPS.

Delayed diagnosis: An important prognostic factor for oesophageal atresia in developing countries.

The aim of this study is to analyse the effect of delayed diagnosis on mortality rates, and evaluate the role of delayed diagnosis as a new prognostic factor in patients with oesophageal atresia (OA), especially in developing countries.