Effects of hydrogen sulfide on relaxation responses in the lower esophageal sphincter in rabbits: the potential role of potassium channels.

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is a significant physiologic inhibitory neurotransmitter. The main goal of this research was to examine the contribution of diverse potassium (K+) channels and nitric oxide (NO) in mediating the H2S effect on electrical field stimulation (EFS)-induced neurogenic contractile responses in the lower esophageal sphincter (LES). EFS-induced contractile responses of rabbit isolated LES strips were recorded using force transducers in organ baths that contain Krebs-Henseleit solutions (20 ml). Cumulative doses of NaHS, L-cysteine, PAG, and AOAA were evaluated in NO-dependent and NO-independent groups. The experiments were conducted again in the presence of K+ channel blockers. In both NO-dependent and NO-independent groups, NaHS, L-cysteine, PAG, and AOAA significantly reduced EFS-induced contractile responses. In the NO-dependent group, the effect of NaHS and L-cysteine decreased in the presence of 4-AP, and also the effect of NaHS decreased in the NO-dependent and independent group in the presence of TEA. In the NO-independent group, K+ channel blockers didn't change L-cysteine-induced relaxations. K+ channel blockers had no impact on the effects of PAG and AOAA. In addition, NaHS significantly relaxed 80-mM KCl-induced contractions, whereas L-cysteine, PAG, and AOAA did not. In the present study, H2S decreased the amplitudes of EFS-induced contraction responses. These results suggest that Kv channels and NO significantly contribute to exogenous H2S and endogenous H2S precursor L-cysteine inhibitory effect on lower esophageal sphincter smooth muscle.

The effect of nature sounds and earplugs on anxiety in patients following percutaneous coronary intervention: A randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Percutaneous coronary interventions cause anxiety in patients, although these procedures are lifesaving. AIM: The aim of this study was to determine the effect of nature sounds and earplug interventions on the anxiety of patients after percutaneous coronary interventions. METHODS: A randomized controlled trial design was used in this study. A total of 114 patients who were scheduled to undergo percutaneous coronary intervention were allocated to three groups in a randomized manner: two intervention groups (nature sound group, earplug group) and one control group. The Visual Analog Scale, State Anxiety Inventory and physiological parameters were used to measure anxiety. Data were collected from the patients at three time points: immediately before, immediately after and 30 minutes after the interventions. RESULTS: The respiratory rates and the Visual Analog Scale and State Anxiety Inventory scores of patients in the nature sound and earplug groups immediately after and 30 minutes after the interventions were significantly lower than those of the control group (p < 0.05). No differences were found when comparing respiratory rates, Visual Analog Scale scores and State Anxiety Inventory scores between patients in the nature sound group and patients in the earplug group (p > 0.05). No changes were observed in the pulse and systolic/diastolic blood pressure values of patients in the control and intervention groups (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: It was determined that nature sounds and earplug interventions are effective in reducing the anxiety of patients following percutaneous coronary intervention.

Knowledge Level, Attitude, and Behaviors of Farmers in Çukurova Region regarding the Use of Pesticides.

INTRODUCTION AND PURPOSE: Farmers are particularly at high risk of pesticide exposure due to added risk from occupational exposure. The aim of this study is to evaluate knowledge level of farmers in the Çukurova region of the effects of pesticides, toxic symptoms, and protective equipment as well as assessing their attitudes and practices regarding pesticides. MATERIAL AND METHOD: A total of 420 seasonal agricultural workers in Karatas District of Adana Province, Turkey, were included in the study. The questionnaire form consisting of 3 sections was administered using face-to-face interview method. RESULTS: The mean age of the participants was 40.2 ± 10.6 years. They were engaged in farming for a mean duration of 18.5 ± 10.6 years. All of them used pesticides, but none of them had been trained on the use of pesticides. Only 26.2% of them stored pesticides in a private depot. The farmers who took empty pesticide containers to special collection bins or centers constituted only 4.3% of them. While 84.0% of them thought that pesticides could have a negative impact on human health, 5.0% of them had experienced a medical problem and 1.0% of them were poisoned after applying pesticides. CONCLUSION: The results show that knowledge level of farmers of safe use of pesticides is very inadequate. This lack of knowledge adversely affects workers' quality of life as well as occupational health and safety. Appropriate training programs should be organized to increase their level of knowledge.

Aspergillus fumigatus spondylodiskitis in renal transplant patient: voriconazole experience.

The incidence of invasive aspergillosis has increased after solid organ transplant. However, aspergillus osteomyelitis in vertebrae is rare. We report a case of aspergillus spondylodiskitis after pulmonary aspergillosis in a renal transplant recipient. He was treated by antifungal therapy and surgical intervention. The transplantist should be alert for a diagnosis of aspergillus spondylodiskitis in recipients who developed back pain after aspergillosis infection in other sites.

Effects of Onosma armeniacum root extract on ethanol-induced oxidative stress in stomach tissue of rats.

This study investigated the effects of Onosma armeniacum K. (Boraginaceae) root extract (AR-1) on ethanol-induced stomach ulcers, and on some oxidant and antioxidant parameters, in stomach tissue in rats. The results obtained showed that AR-1 significantly inhibited ethanol-induced ulcers at 25, 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg doses. We found that 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg doses of AR-1 inhibited ulcers more effectively than did ranitidine. AR-1 at doses of 25, 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg significantly prevented the decrease in total glutathione (tGSH) level which occurs in damaged stomach tissues of rats given ethanol (control group). Only a 100 mg/kg dose of AR-1 significantly increased the glutathione S-transferase (GST) level in stomach tissue compared to the control. All doses of AR-1 except the 25 mg/kg dose eliminated the decrease in the superoxide dismutase (SOD) level in the stomach tissue of rats given ethanol. While all doses of AR-1 decreased malondialdehyde (MDA) levels significantly; all doses AR-1 except 25 mg/kg decreased myeloperoxidase (MPO) levels significantly compared to the control. The effect of AR-1 on catalase (CAT) activity was insignificant at all doses. AR-1 significantly increased nitric oxide (NO) levels at 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg doses compared to the control. Our results indicate that the protection of some antioxidant mechanisms and the inhibition of some oxidant mechanisms have a role in AR-1's antiulcer effect mechanism.