Activity

407; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.106-1.790; p = 0.005) and cardiac death (HR 1.311; 95% CI 1.983-1.749; p = 0.046) were significantly higher in the NSTEMI group.

In this study, statin with RASI combination therapy was more beneficial to the STEMI patients than to the NSTEMI patients in reducing all-cause death and cardiac death.

In this study, statin with RASI combination therapy was more beneficial to the STEMI patients than to the NSTEMI patients in reducing all-cause death and cardiac death.

Pharmaceutical pictograms have been designed to help communicate medication instructions to patients. Pictograms used within a patient counseling service can significantly improve medication compliance and adherence. The study aimed to assess the improvement of adherence to therapy with the use of pictogram intervention in comparison to standard pharmacy practice in community pharmacies.

Pictograms informing about the proper way of using metoprolol prolonged release tablets were designed to be used on the packages of the drug in community pharmacies. Pharmacies belonging to a pharmacy practice-based research network were randomly assigned to a group using pictograms when dispensing the drug or one following their normal practice. At the first visit, all patients answered a structured questionnaire about their medication behavior in the preceding 7 days. The same questions were asked 4 weeks later to follow-up treatment adherence change and compare patients from pictogram group and standard practice group. Descriptive statistics was used to analyze the data, and the McNemar test was used to compare categorical data at baseline and follow-up.

Of a total of 253 patients screened, 117 and 104 patients completed the study in the standard practice and pictogram groups, respectively. The use of pictograms significantly improved medication adherence in the following areas not omitting doses (p < 0.0001), not crushing tablets (p = 0.004), number of tablets/day (p = 0.49), and time of use (p = 0.001), compared to the standard practice group.

Our results suggest that pictograms are effective in conveying messages about the proper way of using medications, and they increase treatment adherence, in comparison to standard dispensing practice.

Our results suggest that pictograms are effective in conveying messages about the proper way of using medications, and they increase treatment adherence, in comparison to standard dispensing practice.

With the advent of novel recanalization techniques and emerging devices, percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) has become a promising leading treatment option for patients with chronic total occlusions (CTO). The present study aims to evaluate the acute outcomes of PCI in previously failed re-attempted vs. first-attempted CTO-lesions.

Between 2012 and 2019, 619 patients were included and treated with PCI of at least one CTO. 253 patients were re-attempted lesions, while 366 were initially attempted lesions.

Re-attempted lesions were more complex, including higher Japanese-CTO (J-CTO) score and the need for a retrograde approach. The procedure time and fluoroscopy time were longer in this group. Nevertheless, overall success rates were comparable between both groups of patients. In-hospital events were rare and without significant differences.

Re-attempted CTO lesions are more complex than first-attempt lesions and are associated with longer procedural times. However, they can be safely intervened by experienced operators with a similar success rate.

Re-attempted CTO lesions are more complex than first-attempt lesions and are associated with longer procedural times. However, they can be safely intervened by experienced operators with a similar success rate.The study presented an extremely rare case of real complete bilateral duplication of inferior vena cava (IVC) in a male cadaver which has never been reported before. Both IVC had approximately the same diameter. The right IVC drained into the right atrium; the left IVC continued as hemiazygos vein and drained into the superior vena cava. Three anastomotic venous channels, a cranial preaortic, a middle and a caudal retroaortic, joined both vessels. Multiple variations in the way of drainage of posterior intercostal veins, on both sides, were also present. The present report invalidates an old classification defining the two vessels when joined at the level of the renal veins as complete bilateral duplication of IVC. Although the presence of combination of venous variations is extremely rare, awareness of such variations is essential for clinical and surgical procedures to avoid misdiagnosis and surgical complications.

The availability of glucose in tissue has a role in macrophages polarisation into an inflammatory phenotype. The overnutrition condition such as hyperglycaemia induces macrophage infiltration especially the inflammatory macrophages. The aim of this study was to analyse the effect of hyperglycaemia condition on cytokines production by human monocytes-derived macrophages.

Monocyte cells obtained from peripheral blood mononuclear cells isolation from donors were incubated for 6 days in 37°C, 5% CO2. On day 4, the stimulating factors such as lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and interferon gamma were added to activate monocytes into macrophages. Then, on day 6, two doses of glucose; either normal or high doses along with low or high dose of LPS were given for 24 h, followed by collecting the culture media and cells then stored at -80°C until assayed.

There was a significant difference in tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-a) levels among groups, with highest level found in group with high-dose glucose plus high-dose LPS. However, the concentration of interleukin-6 (IL-6) among groups was not significantly different.

Macrophages treated with high-dose glucose plus high-dose LPS significantly increased production of TNF-a, but not of IL-6.

Macrophages treated with high-dose glucose plus high-dose LPS significantly increased production of TNF-a, but not of IL-6.

The foramen magnum (FM) is an important landmark because of its close relationship to key structures such as the brainstem and spinal cord, an extension of the medulla oblongata. Avacopan Inflammation related antagonist Because of the similarity in their shape, the existence of a relationship between cranial length and anteroposterior diameter of the FM, and between cranial width and transverse diameter of the FM may reveal the magnificent harmony of the skull and FM. Based on this idea, we investigated the existence of this harmony in skulls that we used in our study.

In this study, 60 adult dry skulls belonging to the Turkish population were examined. The anteroposterior and transverse diameters of the foramen magnum and the length and width of the skull were measured. Measurements were made directly on the skull using a digital sliding calliper. New indices and ratios were applied with those measurements.

Our study suggests that FM width and FM length could be estimated by using the cranial length and cranial width measurements in the skull by accepting the mean of these coefficients (4.