Investigation of the protective effects of crocin on acrylamide induced small and large intestine damage in rats.

We investigated repair of acrylamide (AA) induced damage in intestines by administration of crocin. We used 40 male Wistar rats in four groups of 10 animals: control, AA, crocin, and AA + crocin groups. We investigated biochemical and histological changes to small and large intestine. AA ingestion decreased glutathione (GSH) levels and total antioxidant status (TAS) in the intestine compared to the control group, while superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activities, and total oxidant status (TOS) and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were increased. Villi were shortened and villus degeneration was observed in ileum of the AA group. Degeneration of surface epithelium and Liberkühn crypts were observed in colon sections. GSH and TAS levels increased after administration of AA together with crocin, while SOD and CAT levels and TOS and MDA levels decreased; significant recovery of histological damage also was observed. We found that crocin exhibits protective effects on AA induced small and large intestine damage by inhibiting oxidative stress.

Multiple Lesions in the Upper Jaw.

Buccal exostoses are benign, broad-based surface masses of the outer or facial aspect of the upper jaw (maxilla) or, less commonly, the lower jaw (mandible). They begin to develop in early adulthood and may very slowly enlarge over years. We report here an adult man with multiple masses of the maxilla above the teeth.

Same effect of sublingual and oral captopril in hypertensive crisis.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Hypertensive crisis is a condition characterized by rapid and inappropriate symptomatic elevation of blood pressure (BP) that is commonly seen in Emergency Departments. Oral or sublingual captopril is commonly used in the Emergency Departments. The unpleasant taste of the sublingual drugs causes uncomfortable condition to the patient. Studies showing no difference between oral and sublingual captopril has been ignored so far. Herein we compared the oral and sublingual captopril efficiency in the hypertensive urgencies. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this retrospective observational study, 71 patients admitted with hypertensive urgency to Emergency Departments of two hospitals in 2011 whose blood pressure were recorded before captopril administration and blood pressure were recorded after captopril administration at 0-5-15-30-45-60 minutes were included the study. The reductions of the blood pressure of oral and sublingual captopril groups were compared. RESULTS: There were 28 patients at oral and 43 at sublingual captopril group. The mean age ± SD was 58.13 ± 8.66 years and 41 (57.7%) patients were female. The most common complaints were headache, nausea/vomiting and weakness. 65 (91.5%) patients were using antihypertensive drugs before admitted to hospital. The blood pressure at 0, 5, 15, 30, 45 and 60th minutes of therapy didn't show any difference between oral and sublingual captopril use. CONCLUSIONS: There was any difference between oral and sublingual captopril efficiency to control of hypertension in patient with hypertensive urgency. For a more comfortable treatment, oral captopril may be a more convenient choice in the hypertensive urgencies.

Sjögren's syndrome: a case report and review of the literature.

The manifestations and complications of Sjögren's syndrome are important to know, and dentists can play an important role in the detection of this disease. This report highlights such a case.

Sjogren's syndrome: a case report and review of the literature / El síndrome de Sjögren: reporte de caso y revisión de la literatura

The manifestations and complications of Sjögren s syndrome are important to know, and dentists can play an important role in the detection of this disease. This report highlights such a case.

Es importante conocer las manifestaciones y complicaciones del síndrome de Sjögren, y los dentistas pueden jugar un papel importante en la detección de esta enfermedad. Este reporte documenta este caso.

[Papilloedema and brain abscess associated with isolated left superior vena cava draining in to the left atrium]. / Stauungspapille bei Gehirnabszess assoziiert mit isolierter persistierender linker Vena cava superior mit Drainage in den linken Vorhof.

BACKGROUND: Papilloedema and brain abscess associated with persistent left superior vena cava draining into the left atrium without sinus coronarius and atrium septum defect is rare and until now in only few cases have been reported. PATIENT: A 12 year-old girl was admitted because she had suffered from headache and blurred vision for 2 weeks. Fundus examination revealed papilloedema with peripapillary intraretinal haemorrhages. Pupillary reaction to light was normal. An afferent pupillary defect was negative. Neurological examination was without any focal neurological signs. Cerebral magnetic resonance imaging showed the characteristic features of a brain abscess in the left frontal lobe (3.5 x 3.0 x 2.8). Cardiological examination showed the presence of an isolated left superior vena cava draining into the left atrium in the absence of coronary sinus and atrial septum defect. CONCLUSION: Congenital heart disease such as LSVC is rare. The association of LSVC with papilloedema and brain abscess is very rarely seen. However, the complications of LSVC can be life-threatening. Therefore in children with papilloedema, intraocular and intraorbital reasons as well as congenital heart disease as the underlying reason should be included in the differential diagnosis.

Non-operative management of isolated solid organ injuries due to blunt abdominal trauma in children: a fifteen-year experience.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate essential prerequisites for a selective non-operative approach in children with solid organ injuries due to blunt abdominal trauma, and to determine the predictive value of two different trauma scoring systems: the Injury Severity Score (ISS) and the Paediatric Trauma Score (PTS). A retrospective review of children who were admitted with blunt abdominal solid organ injuries to a paediatric trauma centre between January 1986 and September 2001 was performed. Hepatic, splenic, and renal injuries were graded, based on the American Association for the Surgery of Trauma (AAST) Organ Injury Scale (ranged from grade I to IV). The patients were treated non-operatively or operatively and the two groups were compared for variables such as age, blood transfusion, ISS, PTS, length of hospitalisation, morbidity and mortality rate. Two hundred and five patients (147 boys and 58 girls) entered in this study. Median age was 7 years (1 - 15 yrs). The most common cause of trauma was falls (50%). Abdominal organ injuries were present in all patients with the spleen as the most commonly injured organ (111 patients). Fifty-one patients (32%) had additional extra-abdominal organ injuries. Thirty-five (17%) patients were treated operatively, while 170 (83%) were treated non-operatively. Post-traumatic complications developed in 10 patients treated operatively versus 4 patients treated non-operatively. Four patients died due to multiple organ failure (2 non-operative, 2 operative). When compared to the non-operative group, higher transfusion requirements (p < 0.05), a higher ISS (p < 0.01), lower PTS values (p = 0.0001), a longer hospitalisation period (p = 0.0001), and a higher complication rate (p < 0.05) were observed in the operative group. In addition, the non-operative treatment approach was more common in the last five years compared to the previous ten years (p = 0.002). In conclusion, the appropriate non-operative management of injured children reduces the risks of blood transfusion and decreases the length of hospital stay compared with a surgical approach. The use of physiological parameters and radiological findings may be sufficient criteria for observing haemodynamically stable patients with isolated abdominal organ injuries, and thus intensive care unit costs may be avoided. In addition, a careful and close follow-up is essential in injured patients with a low PTS or high ISS.

Late normalization of melanocytomalytic intraocular pressure elevation following excision of iris melanocytoma.

BACKGROUND: Melanocytoma of the iris is a rare tumor which may sometimes undergo necrosis that could result in elevated intraocular pressure through pigment dispersion. Only nine similar patients have been previously reported. METHODS: A 27-year-old woman presented with a dark brown iris stromal mass located between the 4 and 8 o'clock positions in the inferior quadrant. Her left visual acuity was 20/60. The tumor encroached on the lens and caused focal cataract. There was massive pigmented debris over the iridocorneal angle and the intraocular pressure was 42 mmHg. RESULTS: Fine needle aspiration biopsy did not suggest malignancy. A wide sector iridectomy was performed and histopathological examination of the lesion revealed melanocytoma of the iris. There was no ciliary body involvement. In the postoperative period, intraocular pressure, which persisted in the mid-twenties, was successfully lowered with topical dorzolamide and betaxolol drops. These drugs were continued for 2 years while the angle pigmentation gradually disappeared. There has been no documented glaucomatous damage to the optic nerve and visual fields. A year after the cessation of the drops, the left intraocular pressure stabilized and did not rise above 15 mmHg. Her left visual acuity remained 20/25. CONCLUSION: In contrast to previously reported cases, the normalization of intraocular pressure in this patient took 26 months, a period that could be associated with the self-clearing process of pigment from the iridocorneal angle. Close follow-up with medical treatment averted a pressure lowering surgical procedure in this case.

Corneal topographical study of the effect of lacrimal punctum occlusion on corneal surface regularity in dry eye patients.

PURPOSE: To compare topographic indices of surface regularity in dry eye patients and in normal subjects (controls) and to investigate the short-term effect of lacrimal punctal plugs on these indices in dry eye patients. METHODS: The surface regularity index (SRI) and surface asymmetry index (SAI) of the TMS-2 corneal topographic modelling system were used to evaluate corneal surface regularity in 20 eyes of 10 dry eye patients before and after the insertion of Herrick silicon lacrimal plugs (Lacrimedics, Rialto, CA, USA) and in 24 eyes of 12 normal subjects as controls. RESULTS: SRI and SAI were significantly lower in controls than dry eye patients (p=0.00). Median SRI was 1.72 in dry eye patients before punctal occlusion and 0.525 in the control group. Median SAI was 1.305 in dry eye patients and 0.240 in controls. After lacrimal punctal occlusion, Schirmer test results and fluorescein breakup time increased in nine patients and remained the same in one patient. After occlusion, the SRI decreased in 9 eyes, and increased in 11 (p=0.970); SAI decreased in 13 eyes and increased in 7 (p=0.135). CONCLUSIONS: No significant change in topographic indices of corneal surface irregularity could be detected in severe dry eye patients with lacrimal punctal plugs in the short-term follow-up.

Polarimetric nerve fiber analysis in patients with peripapillary myelinated retinal nerve fibers.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to compare the RNFL thickness in eyes with myelinated retinal nerve fibers (MRNF) and age, sex-matched controls using scanning laser polarimetry. METHODS: Seventeen patients with MRNF underwent a comprehensive ophthalmological examination including automated visual field testing, and scanning laser polarimetry with Nerve Fiber Analyser (NFA II). Twenty eyes with MRNF from 17 patients were available for the study. Sixteen healthy, age and sex-matched subjects were taken as controls. Retinal nerve fiber thickness measurements of the four sectors (superior, inferior, nasal, temporal) and along the whole circumference of the optic disc were obtained for affected and control eyes, and compared. RESULTS: Inferior average and inferior integral parameters of the NFA revealed significantly thinner RNFL thickness measurements in eyes with inferiorly located MRNF compared to controls. CONCLUSION: Retinal myelination alters the birefringent property of the RNFL, and results in diminished thickness measurements. Hence, NFA measurements in patients with MRNF may not be reliable.

Ocular ferning during the menstrual cycle in healthy women.

PURPOSE: The aim of the study is to investigate whether tear ferning patterns change during different phases of the menstrual cycle. METHODS: The tear ferning test was performed on twelve normal women of childbearing age at three day intervals throughout one complete menstrual cycle. Serum hormone levels (progesterone, estrogen, testosterone) were measured. RESULTS: Eight women showed type I ferning, and the other four had type II ferning initially. These patterns did not change during the menstrual cycle. Serum hormone levels were all in the normal range. Since no change in ferning pattern was detected during the menstrual cycle, the ferning test can be done at any time in women. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed no effect of different menstrual cycle phases on tear ferning patterns.

Polarimetric nerve fiber analysis in patients with visible optic nerve head drusen.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of visible optic nerve head drusen (ONHD) on retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness retardation by using scanning laser polarimetry. METHODS: Twenty-three eyes of 13 patients with visible ONHD and 26 eyes of 13 age- and sex-matched control subjects were involved in the study. Ophthalmologic examination, scanning laser polarimetry with nerve fiber analyser (NFA) type II GDX, automated Humphrey visual field testing, and red-free fundus photography were performed. Eyes with ONHD were classified from grade 0 to III according to the amount of visible drusen. Thus, grade 0 discs had no clinically visible ONHD and grade III discs represented the presence of dense drusen. RESULTS: Measurements with NFA of RNFL thickness retardation showed significant decrease in eyes with visible ONHD compared with control eyes (P < 0.05). Although no significant difference was found between grade I and grade II discs regarding NFA measurements, grade III discs had significantly lower values, indicating the greater amount of RNFL loss with higher grade ONHD. Documentation of increased percentage of visual field defects with higher grade drusen was also in accordance with this finding. CONCLUSIONS: NFA can quantitatively detect the decrease in retardation of RNFL thickness in eyes with visible ONHD and can be used as an indicator of nerve fiber layer loss in these cases.

Retinal nerve fiber layer analysis and interpretation of GDx parameters in patients with tilted disc syndrome.

This study was conducted to determine abnormalities of the GDx Glaucoma Scanning System parameters in patients with tilted discs, in order to set guidelines for the evaluation of glaucomatous damage in this situation. The objective was to determine which GDx parameters displayed the highest level of variation, and which remained unchanged in tilted disc syndrome. RNFA was polarimetrically conducted on 45 eyes from 26 subjects with tilted discs, and 43 normal eyes with Nerve Fiber Analyzer II (Laser Diagnostic Technologies). All parameters except inferior maximum, average thickness, ellipse average, and inferior average displayed a significant difference between the two groups (p < 0.05). Although NFA is useful in glaucoma diagnosis, the majority of the GDx parameters, as shown in our study, are unreliable in tilted disc syndrome in this respect.

Peripheral vein contrast echocardiography in atrial septal defect.

This study was carried out on 233 children suspected clinically of having atrial septal defect with the aim of investigating the diagnostic capability of peripheral venous contrast echocardiography. The transfer of contrast material from the right atrium into the left atrium was evaluated as "positive contrast", while noncontrast blood, passing from the left atrium into the right atrium was termed "negative contrast". Positive contrasts were quantitated in four grades. A significant negative contrast effect was graded 3- or 4-. Three positive, 4+ and/or 3-, 4- contrast effects were considered definite evidence of an atrial septal defect. Among the cases with the above findings 92 underwent surgical closure of atrial septal defect. The procedure was successful in all patients operated; the size of the defect was large. This result demonstrates that the method applied is a safe and reliable one. However, in a group of cases without the above echocardiographic findings the presence of an atrial septal defect was detected by cardiac catheterization and angiocardiography. Therefore, we can conclude that the method applied is not a sensitive, but a specific one, for definite detection of atrial septal defect.