Balkan Medical JournalPub Date : 2024-09-06Epub Date: 2024-08-01DOI: 10.4274/balkanmedj.galenos.2024.190724
Mert İlker Hayıroğlu, Servet Altay
{"title":"Overlap Between Nutritional Indices in Patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome: A Focus on Albumin","authors":"Mert İlker Hayıroğlu, Servet Altay","doi":"10.4274/balkanmedj.galenos.2024.190724","DOIUrl":"10.4274/balkanmedj.galenos.2024.190724","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":8690,"journal":{"name":"Balkan Medical Journal","volume":" ","pages":"324-325"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2024-09-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11588916/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141858945","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Balkan Medical JournalPub Date : 2024-09-06Epub Date: 2024-07-30DOI: 10.4274/balkanmedj.galenos.2024.2024-6-5
Wenchao Sun, Guier Chen
{"title":"An Infected Uterine Diverticulum due to a Cesarean Section","authors":"Wenchao Sun, Guier Chen","doi":"10.4274/balkanmedj.galenos.2024.2024-6-5","DOIUrl":"10.4274/balkanmedj.galenos.2024.2024-6-5","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":8690,"journal":{"name":"Balkan Medical Journal","volume":" ","pages":"402-403"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2024-09-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11588917/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141791722","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Interferon Gamma in Sickness Predisposing to <i>Mycobacterial</i> Infectious Diseases","authors":"Betül Gemici Karaaslan, Jérémie Rosain, Jacinta Bustamante, Ayça Kıykım","doi":"10.4274/balkanmedj.galenos.2024.2024-8-18","DOIUrl":"10.4274/balkanmedj.galenos.2024.2024-8-18","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>In recent decades, the prevalence of inborn errors of immunity has increased, necessitating the development of more effective treatment and care options for these highly morbid conditions. Due to these “experiments of nature,” the complicated nature of the immune system is being revealed. Based on the functional and molecular tests, targeted therapies are now being developed which offer a more effective approach and reduce damage. This study aimed to investigate a key cytokine of the cellular immune response, interferon‐gamma (IFN-γ), which is linked to Mendelian susceptibility to Mycobacterial disease, and its potential as a therapeutic option for IFN-γ deficiency.</p>","PeriodicalId":8690,"journal":{"name":"Balkan Medical Journal","volume":" ","pages":"326-332"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2024-09-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11588913/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142054794","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Balkan Medical JournalPub Date : 2024-09-06DOI: 10.4274/balkanmedj.galenos.2024.2024-6-25
Başak Işıldar, Serbay Özkan, Meral Koyutürk
{"title":"Preconditioning of Human Umbilical Cord Mesenchymal Stem Cells with a Histone Deacetylase Inhibitor: Valproic Acid.","authors":"Başak Işıldar, Serbay Özkan, Meral Koyutürk","doi":"10.4274/balkanmedj.galenos.2024.2024-6-25","DOIUrl":"10.4274/balkanmedj.galenos.2024.2024-6-25","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) play a key role in regenerative medicine due to their capacity to differentiate into multiple cell lines, regulate the immune system, and exert paracrine effects. The therapeutic impact of MSCs is primarily mediated through their secretome. The secretory and therapeutic potential of MSCs can be improved through preconditioning, which entails the application of hypoxic environments, 3-dimensional cell cultures, and pharmacological agents. Valproic acid (VPA) is a histone deacetylase inhibitor that is employed in medical practice for treating epilepsy and bipolar disorder. Hence, preconditioning MSCs with VPA is expected to induce histone acetylation, enhance gene expression, and beneficially modify the cells' secretomes.</p><p><strong>Aims: </strong>To assess the effectiveness of VPA in enhancing and regulating the therapeutic potential of cells as well as its impact on MSC secretome profiles and ultrastructural morphologies.</p><p><strong>Study design: </strong>Expiremental study.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Human umbilical cord MSCs were preconditioned with 2 mM VPA for 24 and 48 hours; untreated MSCs served as controls. The secretome secreted by the cells was assessed for its total protein content. Subsequently, interferon-gamma (IFN-γ), interleukin-17 (IL-17), IL-10, vascular endothelial growth factor, nerve growth factor (NGF), glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor, and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels in the secretome were analyzed using the ELISA method. The ultrastructural properties of the cells were studied under transmission electron microscopy.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Ultrastructural examinations revealed that the chromatin content of VPA-treated cells was reduced. VPA-preconditioned cells exhibited a higher density of rough endoplasmic reticulum, autophagic vesicles, and myelin figures on cytoplasmic structure analysis, which was indicative of increased secretion. Protein secretion was elevated in those cells, with notable increases in NGF and BDNF levels. Furthermore, the cytoskeletal rearrangement and elevated autophagic activity observed in the 48-hour preconditioned cells could indicate the initiation of neuronal differentiation. IL-10, IL-17, and IFN-γ were not detected in the secretome.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This study indicate that preconditioning with VPA enhances MSC activity and subsequently modifies the secretome content.</p>","PeriodicalId":8690,"journal":{"name":"Balkan Medical Journal","volume":"41 5","pages":"369-376"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2024-09-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11588919/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142139176","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Balkan Medical JournalPub Date : 2024-09-06DOI: 10.4274/balkanmedj.galenos.2024.2024-6-19
Zeynep Hızlı Demirkale, Mehmet Fatih Alpkıray, Ayşe Engin, Aybars Deniz Sönmez, Esra Yücel, Zeynep Tamay, Cevdet Özdemir, Günnur Deniz, Esin Çetin Aktaş
{"title":"Comparison of Immune Checkpoint Molecule Expression in Different Years of House Dust Mite Subcutaneous Immunotherapy on CD4<sup>+</sup> T and Treg Cells in Children with Allergic Rhinitis.","authors":"Zeynep Hızlı Demirkale, Mehmet Fatih Alpkıray, Ayşe Engin, Aybars Deniz Sönmez, Esra Yücel, Zeynep Tamay, Cevdet Özdemir, Günnur Deniz, Esin Çetin Aktaş","doi":"10.4274/balkanmedj.galenos.2024.2024-6-19","DOIUrl":"10.4274/balkanmedj.galenos.2024.2024-6-19","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Allergen-specific immunotherapy, a unique inducer of tolerance, may result in T cell exhaution.</p><p><strong>Aims: </strong>To investigate how the duration of house dust mite (HDM) subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT) affects the expression of major immune checkpoint (ICP) molecules on the surface of CD4<sup>+</sup> T-helper and regulatory T (Treg) cells.</p><p><strong>Study design: </strong>Cross-sectional study.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We enrolled 28 children with HDM-induced allergic rhinitis (AR) and six controls. The study participants were divided into six groups: one group each of patients in their first, second, and third years of HDM-SCIT; one group each comprising those in the first year following HDM-SCIT and those on pharmacotherapy; and the control group. The expression of ICPs on CD4<sup>+</sup> T and Treg cells was determined using flow cytometry, and plasma levels of soluble ICPs were estimated by ELISA.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Our results revealed a significant increase in the expression of cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated antigen 4 (CTLA-4) and lymphocyte activation gene 3 (LAG-3) on CD4<sup>+</sup> T cells during the second and third years of SCIT, respectively. Additionally, a strong correlation was observed between the expression of CTLA-4 and T cell immunoglobulin and mucin domain containing molecule-3 in CD4<sup>+</sup> T cells. Furthermore, we observed a significant correlation between the expressions of programmed cell death protein-1, CTLA-4, T cell Immunoreceptor with Immunoglobulin and Immunoreceptor Tyrosine-Based Inhibitory Motif domain, and LAG-3 on both CD4<sup>+</sup> T and Treg cells. A robust correlation was observed between the plasma levels of soluble ICPs.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>HDM-SCIT induces CD4<sup>+</sup> T cell exhaution, which may contribute to tolerance induction in children with AR.</p>","PeriodicalId":8690,"journal":{"name":"Balkan Medical Journal","volume":"41 5","pages":"387-395"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2024-09-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11588924/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142139165","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Balkan Medical JournalPub Date : 2024-09-06Epub Date: 2024-05-22DOI: 10.4274/balkanmedj.galenos.2024.2024-3-51
Mohammed Sabawi, Osorio Lopes Abath Neto, Bruno A Policeni, Márcio Luís Duarte, Leonardo Furtado Freitas
{"title":"Calcifying Pseudoneoplasm of the Neuraxis of the Foramen Magnum","authors":"Mohammed Sabawi, Osorio Lopes Abath Neto, Bruno A Policeni, Márcio Luís Duarte, Leonardo Furtado Freitas","doi":"10.4274/balkanmedj.galenos.2024.2024-3-51","DOIUrl":"10.4274/balkanmedj.galenos.2024.2024-3-51","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":8690,"journal":{"name":"Balkan Medical Journal","volume":" ","pages":"400-401"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2024-09-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11588914/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141074428","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Balkan Medical JournalPub Date : 2024-09-06Epub Date: 2024-07-29DOI: 10.4274/balkanmedj.galenos.2024.2024-3-113
Hirotake Ikeda, Hirohisa Fujikawa, Satoshi Mizuma
{"title":"Scurvy Caused by Financial Difficulty in the COVID-19 Pandemic","authors":"Hirotake Ikeda, Hirohisa Fujikawa, Satoshi Mizuma","doi":"10.4274/balkanmedj.galenos.2024.2024-3-113","DOIUrl":"10.4274/balkanmedj.galenos.2024.2024-3-113","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":8690,"journal":{"name":"Balkan Medical Journal","volume":" ","pages":"398-399"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2024-09-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11588911/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141787169","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Hypertensive Disorders of Pregnancy: Diagnosis, Management and Timing of Birth.","authors":"Cihan İnan, Lütfiye Uygur, Verda Alpay, Reyhan Ayaz, Nihal Şahin Uysal, Aydan Biri, Gökhan Yıldırım, Niyazi Cenk Sayın","doi":"10.4274/balkanmedj.galenos.2024.2024-7-108","DOIUrl":"10.4274/balkanmedj.galenos.2024.2024-7-108","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy are significant contributors to maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality. The definition, classification, and management of these disorders have evolved over time. Notably, the disease classification enables caretakers to manage the disease as well as safeguard maternal and fetal health. The approach and management for pregnancies with gestational and chronic hypertension or pre-eclampsia with or without severe features should be adequately elucidated to mitigate adverse perinatal outcomes. This review aimed to present the most recent definition and classification of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy to address their management, determine the optimal timing of birth, and establish short- and long-term follow-up protocols following parturition.</p>","PeriodicalId":8690,"journal":{"name":"Balkan Medical Journal","volume":"41 5","pages":"333-347"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2024-09-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11588921/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142139166","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Balkan Medical JournalPub Date : 2024-09-06Epub Date: 2024-08-19DOI: 10.4274/balkanmedj.galenos.2024.2024-6-109
Çağlar Kaya, Kenan Yalta
{"title":"Is Constrictive Pericarditis Associated with Long COVID, Its Vaccine, or Both?","authors":"Çağlar Kaya, Kenan Yalta","doi":"10.4274/balkanmedj.galenos.2024.2024-6-109","DOIUrl":"10.4274/balkanmedj.galenos.2024.2024-6-109","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":8690,"journal":{"name":"Balkan Medical Journal","volume":" ","pages":"411-412"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2024-09-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11588922/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141999390","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Balkan Medical JournalPub Date : 2024-07-05Epub Date: 2024-03-12DOI: 10.4274/balkanmedj.galenos.2024.2024-1-84
Laura Gabriela Silva, Victor Sudário Takahashi, Marcelo de Queiroz Pereira da Silva, Márcio Luís Duarte
{"title":"Recurrent Schwannoma of the Cauda Equina: A Rare Diagnosis","authors":"Laura Gabriela Silva, Victor Sudário Takahashi, Marcelo de Queiroz Pereira da Silva, Márcio Luís Duarte","doi":"10.4274/balkanmedj.galenos.2024.2024-1-84","DOIUrl":"10.4274/balkanmedj.galenos.2024.2024-1-84","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":8690,"journal":{"name":"Balkan Medical Journal","volume":" ","pages":"306-307"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2024-07-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11588906/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140100947","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}