Investigation into the effect of neoadjuvant therapy and tumor regression grade on the shrinkage of distal surgical margin in rectal cancer: A prospective case-control study.

Background: The present study aimed to explore the effect of neoadjuvant therapy and tumor regression grade (TRG) on the shrinkage in the distal surgical margin (DSM) induced by formalin fixation in rectal cancer. Materials and. Methods: In this prospective study, the DSM of resected 61 specimens of rectal and rectosigmoid junction adenocarcinoma were measured following fresh and formalin fixation. The measurements were performed within the first 15 min after resection and at 24 h after formalin fixation without pinning and were compared with regard to neoadjuvant treatment status and TRG. Results: In the patients that received neoadjuvant therapy, the fresh and postfixation DSM values were 32.2 mm and 22.7 mm, respectively, and the mean shrinkage rate was 34.7% (P < 0.001). In the patients that did not receive neoadjuvant therapy, the fresh and postfixation DSM values were 54.03 mm and 41.9 mm, respectively, and the mean shrinkage rate was 23.7% (P < 0.001). The mean shrinkage rate was 41.9% in TRG 1, 29.4% in TRG 2, and 31.9 in TRG 3 specimens. The mean shrinkage rate was higher in specimens with a DSM of ≤20 mm compared to specimens with a DSM of >20 mm (46.2% vs. 24.9%). Conclusion: A complete or near-complete tumor regression in patients with rectal cancer undergoing neoadjuvant therapy increases the shrinkage of DSM. Moreover, this shrinkage rate is likely to be higher and the pathological DSM is likely to be closer than expected in cases that present a better clinical response to neoadjuvant therapy, particularly in distal rectal cancer.

The effects of spinosad on antioxidant system and cognitive performance of mice.

INTRODUCTION: There are few studies examining the effect of spinosad on cognitive functions in the literature. METHODS: In this study, we applied spinosad 3 weeks in different doses to mice and examined their effects on antioxidant system and cognitive performance. RESULTS: In the open field test, we observed a significant decrease (p < .05) in the total distance travelled and the time spent in the central area in all subjects who underwent spinosad. In the novel object recognition test, we observed decreases in the time spent with new and old objects. From the biochemical point of view, while BDNF and NGF levels were significantly lower in the spinosad applied group (p < .05), there was no difference in GPx and SOD levels (p > .05). CONCLUSIONS: These results show that spinosad disrupts cognitive functions at the doses we used in our study and this negative effect may be related to the decrease in neurotrophic factors.

Risk factors affecting ICU admission in COVID-19 patients; Could air temperature be an effective factor?

AIM: As the COVID-19 pandemic has been spreading rapidly all over the world, there are plenty of ongoing works to shed on light to unknown factors related to disease. One of the factors questioned is also to be the factors affecting the disease course. In this study, our aim is to determine the factors that affect the course of the disease in the hospitalised patients because of COVID-19 infection and to reveal whether the seasonal change has an effect on the disease course. METHODS: Our study was conducted on 1950 PCR test positive patients who were hospitalised for COVID-19 disease between March 16 and July 15. RESULTS: As the seasonal temperature increases, decrease in WBC, PLT and albumin levels and increase in LDH and AST levels were observed. Risk of need for ICU has been found statistically significant (P < .05) with the increase in the age, LDH levels and CRP levels and with the decrease in the Ca and Albumin levels. CONCLUSIONS: It is predicted with these results that, seasonal change might have affects on the clinical course of the disease, although it has no affect on the spread of the disease. And it might beneficial to check biochemical parameters such as LDH, CRP, Ca and Albumin to predict the course of the disease.

The prognostic significance of serum lactate dehydrogenase-to-albumin ratio in colorectal cancer.

PURPOSE: The purpose of our study was initially to explore the prognostic role of LDH-to-albumin ratio in patients with colorectal carcinoma (CRC) undergoing curative resection. METHODS: The retrospective study included 295 CRC patients that underwent curative resection. According to time-dependent receiver operating characteristics (ROC) analysis, the optimal cutoff value for pretreatment LDH-to-albumin ratio was 52.7. Cox regression univariate and multivariate analyses were utilized to analyze the prognostic factors for disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS). RESULTS: The 295 participants included 117 women (39.7%) and had an overall mean age of 55.8 ± 14.1 years. The median follow-up period was 31.8 ± 21 months (range, 6-78 months) and 53 patients (18.0%) died from cancer during the follow-up period. The 5-year DFS and OS rates were 65.4% and 68.5% in patients with LDH-to-albumin ratio <52.7 (n = 152), and were 55.2% and 55.4% in patients with LDH-to-albumin ratio ≥52.7 (n = 143), respectively. Kaplan-Meier curves showed that LDH-to-albumin ratio ≥52.7 was significantly associated with worse DFS and OS (P = 0.003 and P < 0.001, respectively). Multivariate analyses revealed that LDH-to-albumin ratio was an independent predictor of resectable CRC (odds ratio, 2.104; 95% confidence interval, 1.112-3.982; P = 0.022). CONCLUSION: Our study revealed that high pretreatment LDH-to-albumin ratio level was an unfavorable prognosticator in patients with CRC undergoing curative resection. LDH-to-albumin ratio is a candidate to be a prognostic biomarker in clinical practice.

Metformin HCl has curative effect on rebuilding of ventricular diastolic functions in high-fat-diet fed rats.

Myocardial lipid accumulation due to diabetes and/or obesity plays a role in the progression of left ventricular diastolic dysfunction. Our aims were to exhibit the correlation between histopathologic stage of the liver and cardiac functions, and to evaluate the effects of metformin HCl and rosiglitazone on myocardial functions. Thirty-two male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into four groups to exhibit the correlation between histopathologic stage of the liver and cardiac functions and to determine whether metformin HCl and rosiglitazone have effects on cardiac functions. For 20 weeks, one group was fed standard rat basic diet, whereas the other groups were on high-fat-diet. During the last 4 weeks, metformin HCl was given to the third group, rosiglitazone to the fourth group. Histological evaluation of rat livers yielded significantly higher steatosis grade in high-fat-diet group and different fibrosis stages among groups. Also, there was significant correlation between diastolic functions and steatosis grade/fibrosis stage of rat liver. Electrophysiological study of hearts via Langendorff technique showed better coronary perfusion pressures and diastolic functions in standard-diet and metformin HCl groups compared to other groups. Metformin HCl improves LV diastolic dysfunction and coronary perfusion pressures.

The potential beneficial effects of ethyl pyruvate on diabetic nephropathy: an experimental and ultrastructural study.

Oxidative stress is one of the main causes of diabetic nephropathy, which is a complication of diabetes mellitus (DM). The aim of this study was to investigate the possible role of ethyl pyruvate (EP) in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats' kidney. Four groups (n = 8) of male Wistar albino rats were used as follows: control group rats received only sodium citrate buffer solution intraperitoneally (ip). The EP group was given 50 mg/kg EP ip. In the DM group, diabetes was induced by streptozotocin. The DM + EP group received 50 mg/kg EP ip. All animals received daily treatment for 14 days, and at the end of the study the kidneys were removed: the left kidney of the rats was used for malondialdehyde (MDA) analysis and the right kidney for histological examination. There was normal appearance of the kidney tissues in the control and the EP-administered groups. In the DM group, there was evident basement membrane thickening and enlargement of mesangial matrix; swelling in some tubular epithelial cells was also noticeable. In the DM+EP administered group, nearly the same appearance as the control group and relative thickening in the glomerular basal membrane were observed. The antioxidant effect of ethyl pyruvate improved the renal structures in the DM + EP group.

The effects of intravenous immunoglobulin on cerebral ischemia in rats: An experimental study.

Stroke is one of the major reasons of death in the United States and related to adult disability. Despite aggressive research, the treatment approaches of stroke still remains a major clinical problem. Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) is a polyspecific Ig G preparation obtained from plasma of several thousand healthy people (donors). IVIg is an important treatment approach and used for several disorders. The aim of this study was to investigate the potentially beneficial effects of IVIg therapy in experimentally induced ischemia in middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAo) models of rats. A total of 30 adult male Sprague Dawley rats were used. The rats were divided into two equal groups, each consisting of 15 randomly selected rats: control group (n = 15) and IVIg group (n = 15). Intraluminal filament method was used for establishment of cerebral ischemia. Intraluminal filament was withdrawn after 2 h of MCAo and reperfusion started again and passed to therapeutic stages for all the groups. Physiologic saline solution of 0.5 ml/kg was administered to the control group and 400 mg/kg IVIg was given to the IVIg group rats intravenously. In neurological evaluation, the worst score was determined as 3 and the best score as 0. After routine process, the brain tissue was prepared histopathological investigation. The IVIg group showed significantly better recovery with respect to the control group by neurological examination. The observation of specimens obtained from IVIg groups showed that findings correlate with grade 1 and -2 histopathologically. Nevertheless, ischemic amendments were observed to comply with grade 3 in ischemic areas in control group. IVIg therapy can be used in the treatment of ischemic stroke patients.

Impact of N-acetylcysteine and etodolac treatment on systolic and diastolic function in a rat model of myocardial steatosis induced by high-fat-diet.

OBJECTIVES: Obesity is a worldwide problem, leading to cardiomyopathy. Oxidative stress and inflammation have been reported to play significant roles in developing obesity cardiomyopathy. N-acetylcysteine is a glutathione prodrug that preserves liver against steatosis via constraining the production of reactive oxygen species. Etodolac is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug which has been demonstrated to protect liver against fibrosis. The aim of the present study was to evaluate and compare the effects of N-acetylcysteine and etodolac on impaired cardiac functions due to high-fat-diet (HFD) induced myocardial steatosis in rats. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Thirty-two male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into four groups. Control group was maintained on standard-rat-basic-diet (SD) for 20 weeks, while HFD was given to three study groups for 20 weeks. Then N-acetylcysteine was given to one of the study groups (HFD+NAC), and etodolac to another group (HFD+ETD) as a supplement for 4 weeks while all groups were continued on SD. At the end of the study periods, hearts were examined by Langendorff technique and rat livers were evaluated histologically. RESULTS: HFD and HFD+ETD groups presented with significantly higher steatosis and fibrosis in liver compared to other groups. HFD+NAC preserved diastolic functions. Also HFD+NAC and HFD+ETD groups had significantly better systolic funtions than HFD group. CONCLUSIONS: Obesity is associated with diastolic dysfunction rather than systolic dysfunction. NAC may protect the heart against diastolic dysfunction due to obesity. NAC and etodolac treatment improve systolic function, even in the absence of systolic dysfunction.

Protective effects of ethyl pyruvate in cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity.

This study was performed to investigate the effect of ethyl pyruvate on changes in renal functions and oxidative stress related renal injury caused by cisplatin (cis-dichlorodiammine platinum-II; CDDP). Male Wistar albino rats were divided into four groups (n = 8): (1) control group (1 ml Ringer's lactate solution i.p.); (2) ethyl pyruvate (EP) group (50 mg/kg Ringer's EP solution (REPS) i.p.); (3) cisplatin group (a single dose of cisplatin (5 mg/kg, i.p.); and (4) cisplatin + EP group (a single dose of cisplatin (5 mg/kg, i.p.) + REPS 50 mg/kg/day, i.p.) for five days. At the sixth day, kidneys of rats were mounted to a Langendorff apparatus. Renal perfusion pressures were recorded. Blood samples were taken for serum urea, creatinine, total oxidant status (TOS), total antioxidant status (TAS) and oxidative stres index (OSI) evaluations. Kidney tissues were obtained for malondialdehyde (MDA) analyses and histopathological examination. Perfusion pressures, serum urea, creatinine, TOS, OSI and tissue MDA levels were found significantly higher, whereas TAS was notably lower in cisplatin group. Histopathological examination showed apparent renal paranchymal injury in cisplatin group. In cisplatin + REPS group, perfusion pressures, serum urea, creatinine and tissue MDA levels were decreased. Moreover, EP co-administration provided less inflammatory cell infiltration, tubular dilatation, whereas TOS, TAS and OSI improved significantly versus cisplatin group. These findings show that EP has protective effects against cisplatin nephrotoxicity.

Oxytocin ameliorates remote liver injury induced by renal ischemia-reperfusion in rats.

Renal ischemia-reperfusion (IR) causes remote liver damage. Oxytocin has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. The main purpose of this study was to evaluate the protective function of oxytocin (OT) in remote liver damage triggered by renal IR in rats. Twenty four rats were randomly divided into four different groups, each containing 8 rats. The groups were as follows: (1) Sham operated group; (2) Sham operated+OT group (3) Renal IR group; (4) Renal IR+OT group. OT (500µg/kg) was administered subcutaneously 12 and 24 hours before and immediately after ischemia. At the end of experimental procedure, the rats were sacrificed, and liver specimens were taken for histological assessment or determination of malondialdehyde (MDA), total oxidant status (TOS), total antioxidant status (TAS), paraoxonase (PON-1) activity and nitric oxide (NO). The results showed that renal IR injury constituted a notable elevation in MDA, TOS, Oxidative stress index (OSI) and significantly decreased TAS, PON-1 actvity and NO in liver tissue (p<0.05). Additionally renal IR provoked significant augmentation in hepatic microscopic damage scores. However, alterations in these biochemical and histopathological indices due to IR injury were attenuated by OT treatment (p<0.05). These findings show that OT ameliorates remote liver damage triggered by renal ischemia-reperfusion and this preservation involves suppression of inflammation and regulation of oxidant-antioxidant status.

The prophylactic effects of folic acid and vitamin E against valproic acid during fetal thymus development: an ultrastructural study / Los efectos profilácticos del ácido fólico y la vitamina E contra el ácido valproico durante el desarrollo fetal del timo: un estudio ultraestructural

To evaluate histopathologic differences in the thymus of Wistar Albino rat fetuses prenatally exposed to valproic acid (VPA), folic acid (FA) and vitamin E (Vit-E). VPA (400 mg/kg), FA (400 mcg/kg) and Vit -E (250 mg/kg) were administered to rats on each of gestation days 8, 9 and 10. The fetuses (n:24) were divided into four groups: control, VPA, VPA+Vit-E and VPA+FA groups. On the 20th day of gestation, all pregnant rats were sacrificed and the fetuses were extracted. Thin sections from thymus of live fetuses were stained with uranyl acetate-lead citrate and were examined under transmission electron microscope. The histopathological findings of control group was normal. In VPA group, it showed extensive degenerative changes by VPA were on all tissue compartments when compared to controls. In VPA-FA group, vacuoles, mitochondrial cristalysis and swelling were decreased in cytoplasm. In VPA-Vit-E group, lipid storage and vacuolization were observed. Mitochondrial cristalysis decreased. Our aim in the present study is to analyze histopathological changes which may occur in a high risk experimental model after giving of VPA. In addition, protective roles of the administration of FA and Vit-E are assessed.

Se realizó este estudio para evaluar las diferencias histopatológicas en el timo de fetos de ratas Wistar Albinas expuestas prenatalmente a ácido valproico (VPA), ácido fólico (AF) y vitamina E (Vit-E). VPA (400 mg/kg), FA (400 mcg/kg) y vitamina E (250mg/kg) administradas a ratas en los días 8, 9 y 10 de gestación. Los fetos (n=24) fueron divididos en cuatro grupos: control, APV, APV + vitamina E y VPA + FA. En el día 20 de gestación, todas las ratas preñadas fueron sacrificadas y los fetos fueron extraídos. Se obtuvieron secciones delgadas del timo de los fetos y se tiñeron con citrato de uranilo - acetato de plomo, siendo examinados al microscopio electrónico de transmisión. Los hallazgos histopatológicos del grupo control fueron normales. En el grupo VPA, se observaron cambios degenerativos en todos los compartimentos de tejido en comparación con los controles. En el grupo VPA+FA, las vacuolas, cristalisis mitocondrial e inflamación se redujeron en el citoplasma. En grupo VPA + Vitamina E, se observó el almacenamiento de lípidos y vacuolización. La cristalisis mitocondrial disminuyó. El estudio permitió analizar los cambios histopatológicos que pueden ocurrir en un modelo experimental de alto riesgo después de la administración de VPA, además, las funciones de protección por la administración de AF y vitamina E.

FSHR single nucleotide polymorphism frequencies in proven fathers and infertile men in Southeast Turkey.

The influence of FSH receptor (FSHR) variants on male infertility is not completely understood. The present investigation is the first screening study for SNP at nucleotide position -29 in the core promoter region and codon 680 in exon 10 of the FSHR and the effect of the serum levels of FSH on male infertility in Southeast Turkey. The SNPs in codon 680 and at position -29 of the FSHR gene were analyzed by PCR-RFLP technique in 240 men with proven fathers, and 270 infertile men (150 nonobstructive azoospermic and 120 severe oligozoospermic). The separate analysis for SNP at nucleotide position -29 did not show any difference in genotypic frequencies and serum FSH levels. The genotype distribution of SNP at position 680 was different but does not influence serum FSH levels. Together the two SNPs form four discrete haplotypes (A-Thr-Asn, G-Thr-Asn, A-Ala-Ser, and G-Ala-Ser) occurring in 10 combinations. A statistically significant difference in the allelic distribution of G-Asn/G-Ser and G-Ser/G-Ser genotype between proven fathers and infertile men but there were not any statistically significant difference in the overall frequency of the four FSHR haplotypes. We conclude that the FSHR haplotype does not associate with different serum FSH levels but it is differently distributed in proven fathers and infertile men.