HyperColorization: propagating spatially sparse noisy spectral clues for reconstructing hyperspectral images.

Hyperspectral cameras face challenging spatial-spectral resolution trade-offs and are more affected by shot noise than RGB photos taken over the same total exposure time. Here, we present a colorization algorithm to reconstruct hyperspectral images from a grayscale guide image and spatially sparse spectral clues. We demonstrate that our algorithm generalizes to varying spectral dimensions for hyperspectral images, and show that colorizing in a low-rank space reduces compute time and the impact of shot noise. To enhance robustness, we incorporate guided sampling, edge-aware filtering, and dimensionality estimation techniques. Our method surpasses previous algorithms in various performance metrics, including SSIM, PSNR, GFC, and EMD, which we analyze as metrics for characterizing hyperspectral image quality. Collectively, these findings provide a promising avenue for overcoming the time-space-wavelength resolution trade-off by reconstructing a dense hyperspectral image from samples obtained by whisk or push broom scanners, as well as hybrid spatial-spectral computational imaging systems.

Nutrition and oral health in children with recently and previously diagnosed celiac disease.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the nutritional and oral health status of children with previously diagnosed celiac disease (CD) who follow a gluten-free diet and recently diagnosed CD patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Previously and recently diagnosed groups were formed from children with CD, aged 4 to 15 years. A questionnaire was completed about the children's dental history and nutritional and oral hygiene habits. All the children underwent an oral examination, and dmft-DMFT indices were determined. Dental plaque status, periodontal health, and dental enamel defects were recorded. Oral soft tissues were examined for the presence of lesions. Unstimulated salivary flow rate and pH value were evaluated. RESULTS: A statistically significant difference was determined between the previously and recently diagnosed patients in terms of toothpaste preference (p=0.003), frequency of going to the dentist (p=0.039), and the types of dental treatment they had received (p=0.001). A statistically significant difference was determined between the previously and recently diagnosed patient groups in terms of dmft values (p=0.005). CONCLUSIONS: Children with CD should be directed to a pediatric dentist to improve oral and dental health, relieve the symptoms of oral mucosal lesions, be informed about enamel defects, and be encouraged to use gluten-free oral care products. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The collaboration of pediatric gastroenterologists and pediatric dentists can prevent the progression of oral symptoms in children with CD and eliminate long-term complications in terms of both oral health and multisystemic problems.

Do Gene Polymorphisms Play a Role in Newborn Hyperbilirubinemia?

Objectives: Polymorphisms of the uridine-diphospho-glucuronosyltransferase 1A1 (UGT1A1) gene, hepatic solute carrier organic anion transporter 1B1/B3 (SLCO1B1/3) gene, and glutathione S-transferase (GST) gene have been associated with significant hyperbilirubinemia in some populations. This study aims to determine whether the variation of UGT1A1, SLCO1B1/3 and GST genes play an important role in neonatal hyperbilirubinemia in Turkish newborn infants. Methods: The study included 61 idiopathic hyperbilirubinemia cases, 28 prolonged jaundice cases, and 41 controls. Ten common polymorphisms in four genes involved in bilirubin metabolism were examined. Polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism method was used to detect variants of those genes. Results: No association was found between the variants of UGT1A1 at nt 211, the SLCO1B1 gene at nt 388, 463, 521, 1463, the SLCO1B3 gene at nt 334, 727+118, 1865+19721, and the GST gene at nt 313, 341, and neonatal hyperbilirubinemia. There was no difference between the case and control groups in terms of allele frequencies of these genes (except SLCO1B3 at nt 334) (p>0.05 in all comparisons). The presence of the G allele of the SLCO1B3 at nt 334 variant gene seemed to protect from jaundice in infants with idiopathic hyperbilirubinemia. Conclusion: These gene polymorphisms currently studied do not seem to modulate the risk of hyperbilirubinemia in Turkish newborn infants.

Peer-Assisted skills learning in structured undergraduate medical curriculum: An experiential perspective of tutors and tutees.

Background and Aims: : This study aims to evaluate the implication of peer-assisted learning model adopted in students' clinical skills training from the perspective of tutees and tutors at the end of a peer-tutored clinical skills program and peer tutors themselves. Subjects and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in the Faculty of Medicine, Bursa Uludag in between January and March 2018. Following the clinical skills training, a questionnaire designed to assess the views of tutees and peer tutors was filled out on a voluntary basis by 159 tutees and 43 tutors. The statistical analysis of the collected and processed data was analyzed by using IBM SPSS 23.0 statistical program. The statistical significance level was maintained as α = 0.05. Results: According to the Likert scale, satisfaction with the tutors and the educational environment was high in general. The 2nd term tutees provided more negative feedback compared to other terms. Among all the terms, the most positive answers were provided by the 3rd term students. Although the tutors found themselves fully skilled in communication with colleagues, there were striking differences between the tutors in the 5th and 6th terms of providing a good role model for pre-clinical terms students. Conclusion: Considering peer assisted learning (PAL)'s positive responses from this study, the adoption of PAL has been started to be used as a supplementary teaching method for the clinical skills training at the Faculty of Medicine, Bursa Uludag University. PAL is considered a successful education model since it is cost-efficient for undergraduate medical training and improves the professional skills of both teacher and learner students. It can be availed of as an alternative method in medical faculties where especially the number of academic members is insufficient.

Peritoneal dialysis in children: Infectious and mechanical complications: Experience of a tertiary hospital in Elazig, Turkey.

Background: Peritoneal dialysis (PD) is frequently used in pediatric patients with renal failure. Aim: In the present study, we evaluated the indications and complications of PD and patients' outcomes in pediatric patients. Patients and Methods: Medical records of patients who underwent PD between 2012 and 2019 were analyzed retrospectively. The patients were divided into two groups as acute PD (APD) (Group 1) and chronic PD (CPD) (Group 2). If the patient was diagnosed with acute kidney injury (AKI), an APD catheter was inserted, while a CPD catheter was inserted for patients with stage 5 chronic renal failure or those in which AKI persisted for more than 6 weeks. Results: Group 1 and Group 2 consisted of 62 and 64 patients, respectively. The most common indications for PD were AKI (64.5%) in Group 1, and obstructive uropathy and reflux nephropathy (45.3%) in Group 2. The overall complication rate was 30%. These were leakage at the catheter insertion site (11.2%), catheter occlusion (4.8%), and peritonitis (4.8%) in Group 1; and peritonitis (14.1%), catheter occlusion (6.2%), and inguinal hernia (4.6%) in Group 2. The mortality rate was 72.5% and 23.4% in Group 1 and Group 2, respectively. The most common causes of mortality were multisystem organ failure (40%) and sepsis (33.5%) in both groups. A total of 83 patients (32 in Group 1 and 51 in Group 2) had omentectomy. Catheter revision and/or removal were performed in 11.9% of all patients. Omentectomy had no effect on the prevention of catheter occlusion (p > 0.05). Conclusion: The mortality rate is lower in CPD patients than in APD patients. Although PD in pediatric patients is associated with potential complications, its actual rate is relatively low. The primary catheter dysfunction rate is low, and omentectomy has no significant effect on preventing catheter occlusion.

Comparison of types 2 and 3 quadratus lumborum muscle blocks : Open inguinal hernia surgery in patients with spinal anesthesia.

OBJECTIVE: The efficacy of quadratus lumborum muscle block (QLB) in abdominal surgery is known; however, the efficacy of different QLB types is unclear. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of ultrasound-guided QLB type 2 and type 3 on postoperative opioid consumption and pain scores in patients undergoing inguinal hernia surgery. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In this study 60 patients undergoing open inguinal hernia surgery were randomly assigned to 3 groups. Group QLB2 received ultrasound-guided QLB type 2 and group QLB3 received ultrasound-guided QLB type 3 with 0.25% 20 mL bupivacaine. In the control group (group C) no intervention was performed. Postoperative analgesia was performed intravenously with 1000 mg paracetamol every 6 h and patient-controlled analgesia with fentanyl. Postoperative visual analog scale scores (VAS), opioid consumption, and first analgesic requirement time were evaluated. RESULTS: Fentanyl consumption was significantly higher in group C compared to the other groups at all time intervals (p < 0.05). Fentanyl consumption was significantly higher in group QLB2 compared to QLB3 at the 4-8 h, 8-24 h, and total 24 h. Passive VAS 4h and 8 h, active VAS 4h, 8h, and 12 h were significantly lower in group QLB3 compared to QLB2 (p < 0.05). The first analgesic time was significantly later in group QLB2 compared to group C (280.52 ± 89.20 min and 183.75 ± 42.79 min, respectively) and even later in group QLB3 compared to the other two groups (463.42 ± 142.43 min, p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The use of QLB2 and QLB3 decreased postoperative opioid consumption and pain scores in patients undergoing inguinal hernia surgery. Furthermore, QLB3 provided more effective and longer lasting postoperative analgesia and lower opioid consumption compared to QLB2.

Fabrication and characterization of large numerical aperture, high-resolution optical fiber bundles based on high-contrast pairs of soft glasses for fluorescence imaging.

Fabrication and characterization of flexible optical fiber bundles (FBs) with in-house synthesized high-index and low-index thermally matched glasses are presented. The FBs composed of around 15000 single-core fibers with pixel sizes between 1.1 and 10 µm are fabricated using the stack-and-draw technique from sets of thermally matched zirconium-silicate ZR3, borosilicate SK222, sodium-silicate K209, and F2 glasses. With high refractive index contrast pair of glasses ZR3/SK222 and K209/F2, FBs with numerical apertures (NAs) of 0.53 and 0.59 are obtained, respectively. Among the studied glass materials, ZR3, SK222, and K209 are in-house synthesized, while F2 is commercially acquired. Seven different FBs with varying pixel sizes and bundle diameters are characterized. Brightfield imaging of a micro-ruler and a Convallaria majalis sample and fluorescence imaging of a dye-stained paper tissue and a cirrhotic mice liver tissue are demonstrated using these FBs, demonstrating their good potential for microendoscopic imaging. Brightfield and fluorescence imaging performance of the studied FBs are compared. For both sets of glass compositions, good imaging performance is observed for FBs, with core diameter and core-to-core distance values larger than 1.6 µm and 2.3 µm, respectively. FBs fabricated with K209/F2 glass pairs revealed better performance in fluorescence imaging due to their higher NA of 0.59.

Can haematologic parameters be used for differential diagnosis of testicular torsion and epididymitis?

A differential diagnosis of testicular torsion and epididymitis has serious importance for testicular health. In emergency conditions, if testicular torsion goes unnoticed and epididymo-orchitis is diagnosed, organ loss may occur. This study aimed to evaluate the usefulness of haematologic parameters for the diagnosis of both testicular torsion and epididymo-orchitis and for differential diagnosis of these two diseases. Patients were divided into three groups as those undergoing surgery for testicular torsion, those receiving medical treatment for epididymitis and a healthy control group. All patients had complete blood counts taken with determinations of mean platelet volume (MPV), platelet/lymphocyte ratio (PLR), neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and leucocyte counts. These were then compared between groups. Leucocyte, MPV and NLR values were higher in both the epididymitis and torsion groups compared to the controls (p < .001). Platelet counts and PLR were significantly higher in the epididymitis group compared to the other two groups (p < .001). Leucocyte, MPV and NLR values may be used in the diagnosis of epididymitis and testicular torsion. Platelet counts and PLR appear to be useful in differentiating epididymitis from testicular torsion. However, there is a need for prospective studies with larger numbers of patients.

Apical extrusion of debris in primary molar root canals using mechanical and manual systems.

AIM: Apical extrusion of debris in primary root canal treatment has not been well elucidated. The purpose of this study is to compare the amount of apically extruded debris during the preparation of primary molar root canals using ProTaper, ProTaper Next, Self-adjusting File (SAF) and hand files. MATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred sixty extracted primary mandibular molar teeth were assigned to 2 groups: Group 1: Resorbed (n=80) and Group 2: Non-resorbed (n=80) and randomly to four subgroups (n=20 teeth for each subgroup) according to the instruments used, ProTaper, ProTaper Next, SAF, and hand file. The apically extruded debris was collected and dried in preweighed Eppendof tubes. The dry weight was calculated by subtracting the preoperative weight from the postoperative weight. STATISTICS: Data were analysed statistically using the ANOVA and the Bonferroni post hoc t-test. RESULTS: The amount of apically extruded debris was significantly less for the non-resorbed group compared to the resorbed group (P<0.05). Regardless of the resorption groups, ProTaper Next and SAF extruded significantly less debris than did the ProTaper and hand files (P<0.05), while no statistically significant difference was found between ProTaper Next and SAF (P>0.05). CONCLUSION: All instruments caused apically extruded debris in primary teeth.

Preservation of root cementum: a comparative evaluation of power-driven versus hand instruments.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of three distinct periodontal treatment methods in comparison with hand instrumentation on residual cementum of periodontal diseased teeth. Cementum can influence the activities of periodontal cells and may play an important regulatory role in periodontal treatment. The ideal method for periodontal therapy involves removal of biofilm, calculus and endotoxin while preserving root cementum. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Forty-eight caries free, single-rooted teeth in patients diagnosed with severe chronic periodontitis were treated using four different methods prior to extraction. The teeth were instrumented subgingivally at one approximal site either by hand curettes (HC), piezoelectric ultrasonic scalers (U), piezoelectric ultrasonic scalers following air polishing (U + AP) or air polishing (AP) alone. Following extraction of teeth, instrumented and non-instrumented sites were analysed with a dissecting microscope and SEM for measurement of the amount of and surface characteristics of residual cementum. RESULTS: The percentage of coronal cementum remaining following subgingival instrumentation was 84% for U, 80% for U + AP, 94% for AP and 65% for HC. Although subgingival instrumentation of apical portions of the cementum demonstrated 6% less retained cementum in comparison with coronal portions, the amount of retained cementum with AP was still significantly greater than with HC. SEM results found the smoothest root surfaces were produced by the HC followed by the AP, while root surfaces instrumented by U or U + AP presented grooves and scratches. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated that AP was superior to U devices in preserving cementum, whereas HC were the most effective instruments in removing cementum.

Cerebral arterial thrombosis in a child with nephrotic syndrome.

Nephrotic syndrome (NS) in childhood may be associated with thromboembolic complications, mainly in venous origin. However, arterial thrombosis may also be seen as a very rare and life-threatening complication. Herein, we described a case of steroid-resistant NS who did not respond to full-dose steroid treatment for 8 weeks and was complicated by neurological findings. The renal biopsy was consistent with focal segmental glomerulosclerosis. His cerebral magnetic resonance angiography showed the sudden termination of M3 branch of the left middle cerebral artery which corresponded with subacute infarction in the left frontoparietotemporal area. Thrombosis panel yielded the results of hyperhomocysteinemia (46.1 µmol/L, range: 5-15 µmol/L) and heterozygous methylene tetrahydrofolate reductase mutation (C677T, A1298C). After that, the patient was given medical therapy including anticoagulant treatment. Improvement in the neurological outcome was determined on the 1st month of follow-up examinations.

Investigation of genotoxic effects of doripenem using cytogenetic and molecular methods.

The main aim of this study was to investigate the genotoxic effects of doripenem (DRP) using both cytogenetic and molecular test systems. Although there have been some studies reporting the effects of DRP, none of them has shown the genotoxic effects of DRP. In order to achieve the main aim of the study, the human peripheral lymphocytes were treated with 100 µg/ml, 200 µg/ml, and 400 µg/ml concentrations of DRP for 24 and 48 hours, and the chromosome aberration (CA) and micronucleus (MN) methods were used as the cytogenetic tests and RAPD-PCR method was used as the molecular test to determine the genotoxic effects of DRP. DRP did not induce the chromosome aberrations and micronucleus frequencies at all concentrations and at all treatment periods. So, it was concluded that DRP did not show any cytotoxic effect. However, DRP increased the number of polymorphic bands and decreased the ratio of genomic template stability, especially at the 48-hour treatment period. In this study, according to the obtained results, it was determined that DRP failed to show any genotoxic risk at the therapeutic doses. This result also indicates that DRP could be a reliable antibiotics according to its rapid metabolism.

Alterations on high HbF levels may be associated with KLF1 gene mutations.

The KLF1 gene synthesizes a transcription factor in the zinc finger structure that regulates the transcription of ß-, γ-globin, and Foxm1 genes. This factor plays an important role in the erythropoiesis mechanism by modifying the chromatin structure and is involved in the regulation of transcription in the opening of the ß-globin gene. ß-globin gene expression could be disrupted by a mutation, which may be a possible cause of a disruption in regulation of the promotor of the ß-globin gene where the KLF1 transcription factor binds. This can lead to an inherited high fetal hemoglobin (HbF) ratio in people. Therefore, the main aim of this study was to determine the effects of KLF1 mutations on these high levels of HbF. In this study, in order to determine the relationship between the KLF1 mutations and the high HbF levels three exons along with the 5'-UTR and 3'-UTR regions of the KLF1 gene were sequenced of 53 volunteers. In this study, 3 variations in the non-coding regions of the KLF1 gene were not associated with a high level of HbF. Five variations were detected in the second exon of KLF1 gene. One of these is a frame shift that occurs when GG bases are inserted between the 59-60 codons, and the other four variations occur as a base substitution variations.  No correlation was found between high HbF levels and neutral variants. Only polar-nonpolar amino acid changes were found at two points. At one of them, a significant drop in the high HbF levels was observed, while the other was observed to be high near to the critical limit. These findings suggested that variations in function of the KLF1 gene can alter the HbF levels.

Diurnal characteristics of heart rate variability in patients with sarcoidosis.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to evaluate autonomic nervous system function by measuring heart rate variability (HRV) in patients with sarcoidosis without known cardiac manifestations. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The study comprised 61 participants, including 31 patients with sarcoidosis without known cardiac manifestations and 30 healthy volunteers. All participants underwent echocardiographic examination, 12-channel electrocardiography (ECG), and 24-h Holter monitoring. HRV parameters were determined and compared between the groups. RESULTS: There were no differences between groups with regard to age, body mass index, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, or heart rate at the time of admission. In the time domain analyses, the 24-h, daytime, and night-time standard deviations of all normal-to-normal R­R interval (SDNN) values were significantly lower in patients with sarcoidosis than those in the controls. The frequency domain analyses showed that 24-h and daytime low-frequency (LF) values, 24-h, daytime, and night-time high-frequency (HF) values were significantly lower in the patient group compared with the control group, whereas the night-time LF/HF ratio was significantly higher. CONCLUSION: Although Holter ECG is not a diagnostic tool for cardiac sarcoidosis, the HRV parameters, especially the night-time LF/HF values, may demonstrate increased sympathetic activation in patients with sarcoidosis.

Therapeutic effects of melatonin and quercetin in improvement of hepatic steatosis in rats through supression of oxidative damage.

BACKGROUND: Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, a cause of cirrhosis, is characterized by fatty infiltration of the liver, inflammation, hepatocellular damage and fibrosis. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of melatonin and quercetin on CCl4-induced steatosis characterized by fatty infiltration of the liver, inflammation, hepatocellular damage and fibrosis. METHODS: Rats were divided into 5 groups: Ethanol, Olive oil, CCl4, CCl4+Melatonin (CCl4+Mel), CCl4+Quercetin. Rats were sacrificed and livers were removed for being evaluated by histopathological, immunohistochemical and biochemical methods. RESULTS: In CCI4 group, vacuolization, vascular congestion, haemorrhage, necrosis, and inflammatory infiltration were identified. The mean tissue MDA level was increased, whereas GSH level and SOD and CAT activities were decreased in comparison with ethanol and olive oil groups. MDA levels were decreased in CCI4+Quercetin and CCI4+Mel groups versus CCI4 group. CAT activity of CCI4+Mel group was higher than that of CCI4 and CCI4+Quercetin groups. The mean tissue GSH level of CCI4+Mel group versus CCI4 group was significantly increased. CONCLUSIONS: By the means of histopathological examination, we suggest that both agents are beneficial against necrotic and apoptotic cell death during steatosis. Thus, melatonin and quercetin might be beneficial in the improvement of hepatic steatosis by supporting conventional therapy in humans (Tab. 1, Fig. 5, Ref. 53).

Effect of different doses of pregabalin on skeletal muscle ischaemia-reperfusion injury in rats.

AIM/INTRODUCTION: Analgesic, anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic effects of pregabalin have been shown previously. In this study, we investigated the protective effect of different doses of pregabalin on skeletal muscle IR injury in rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 24 rats were randomly divided into 4 groups (Control, Ischaemia-Reperfusion (IR), IR-Pregabalin 50 mg, IR-Pregabalin 200 mg). Following IR, serum Ischemia Modified Albumin (IMA) and tissue Paraoxonase (PON) were studied and gastrocnemius muscle tissue was removed for histopathologic examination. RESULTS: Interstitial inflammation was higher in the IR group than in the control and Pregabalin 200 mg groups (p = 0.037, p = 0.037, respectively). Congestion was higher in the IR group than in the control, Pregabalin 50 and 200 mg groups (p = 0.001, p = 0.004, p = 0.004, respectively). PON was lower in the IR group than in the Control, Pregabalin 50 and 200 mg groups (p = 0.001, p = 0.007, p = 0.015, respectively). IMA was higher in the IR group than in the Control, Pregabalin 50 and 200 mg groups (p < 0.0001, all). CONCLUSION: We think that administration of pregabalin, more prominent at 200 mg, can reverse the injury that occurs in the skeletal muscle of IR-induced rats. Pregabalin can be safely used for analgesia in cases of IR (Tab. 2, Fig. 9, Ref. 41).

Protective effects of quercetin against arsenic-induced testicular damage in rats.

This study investigated the effect of quercetin on changes in testes due to arsenic exposure. Twenty-seven male rats were divided into three groups: control (10 ml kg-1  day-1 saline), arsenic (10 mg kg-1  day-1 sodium arsenite) and arsenic + quercetin (arsenic + 50 mg kg-1  day-1 quercetin). The rats were sacrificed at the end of 15-day experiment. There was no difference between control group and arsenic group in body weight gain, testicular weight and serum total testosterone level. Quercetin treatment did not cause a significant difference in these parameters. In the arsenic group rats, we determined deterioration in the structure of seminiferous tubules, a decrease in the number of spermatogenic cells, an increase in the number of apoptotic cells, a decrease in the number of PCNA-positive cells, a decrease in SOD, CAT and GSH-Px activities, and an increase in the MDA level in testicular tissue. In all these changes, arsenic+quercetin group showed an improved compared to arsenic group. The amount of arsenic increased in the arsenic group was compared to the control group, and there was no difference between arsenic group and arsenic + quercetin group in the amount of arsenic. In conclusion, quercetin prevented arsenic-induced testicular damage with its anti-apoptotic and antioxidant effects.

Association between serum fetuin-A level and erectile function.

Recent studies have shown that ED is an early symptom of atherosclerosis. Fetuin-A, a glycoprotein secreted by the liver, kidneys and choroid plexus, has been linked to systemic fibrosis and calcification in human and rat studies. Deficiency of this compound may play a role in atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease progression. The aim of the study was to examine whether serum fetuin-A level is related to erectile function or severity of ED. Sixty ED patients without cardiovascular disease were assigned to one of the three groups (mild, moderate or severe ED) depending on ED severity. Twenty healthy volunteers were included as the control group. The International Index of Erectile Function-5 questionnaire was used to measure erection quality in all four groups. Mean age, body mass index, total testosterone, low- and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and triglyceride levels did not significantly differ between the three erectile dysfunction and control groups (P > 0.05). The group with severe ED had a significantly lower mean fetuin-A level than the mild ED and control groups. For both mild and moderate ED groups, the mean serum fetuin-A level was significantly lower in comparison with the control group (P < 0.001). Serum fetuin-A level may be used as a supplemental biochemical parameter in preliminary evaluation of ED.

Protective role of Diospyros lotus on cisplatin-induced changes in sperm characteristics, testicular damage and oxidative stress in rats.

The aim of this study was to investigate the protective effect of Diospyros lotus (DL) on cisplatin (CP)-induced testicular damage in male rats. Twenty-eight male rats were randomly divided into four groups: group 1 - control, given isotonic saline solution; group 2 - CP 7 mg kg(-1) given intraperitoneally as single dose; group 3 - DL 1000 mg kg(-1) per day given orally for 10 days; group 4 - CP and DL given together at the same doses. CP caused a significant increase in thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) level and a significant decrease in superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), catalase (CAT) and glutathione (GSH) levels in rats testis tissues compared to the control group. CP caused a significant increase in lipid peroxidation in testis tissues compared to the control group, whereas DL led to a significant increase in SOD and GSH levels. However, there were no statistically significant changes in GPx and CAT levels. In addition, serum testosterone levels, sperm concentration and sperm motility were significantly decreased, but abnormal sperm rate and histological changes were increased with CP. However, these effects of CP on sperm parameters, histological changes and the tissue weights were eliminated by DL treatment. In conclusion, our study showed that the reproductive toxicity caused by CP may be prevented by DL treatment.

Effects of beta-glucan on protection of young and aged rats from renal ischemia and reperfusion injury.

BACKGROUND: Ischemia-reperfusion injury is one of the leading causes of acute renal failure which is a common clinical event leading to development of chronic kidney disease and a high mortality; especially in elderly people. ß-glucans are glucose polymer groups with free-radical scavenger, macrophage activator, and immune defense inducer functions. We designed this study to determine the possible protective effects of ß-glucan against renal ischemia-reperfusion injury comparatively in young and aged rats. METHODS: Rats were assigned to the following groups: Young and aged sham, young and aged ischemia-reperfusion, young and aged ß-glucan, young and aged ischemia-reperfusion+ß-glucan. At the end of the experiment, following collection of blood samples, rats were sacrificed and kidneys were removed for histopathological and biochemical examination. RESULTS: Mean tissue histopathological damage scores of young ß-glucan group was lower than that of young ischemia-reperfusion group, and of aged ß-glucan group was lower than that of aged ischemia-reperfusion group. Urea and creatinine levels of young and aged of sham group and ß-glucan administered groups were all lower than those of ischemia-reperfusion and ß-glucan+ischemia-reperfusion groups. Oxidative stress indexes of ischemia-reperfusion groups were increased however ; oxidative stress indexes of ß-glucan administered to young and aged rats were lower than those of ischemia-reperfusion groups. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that ß-glucan is effective to protect kidneys from ischemia-reperfusion-induced oxidative damage, especially in young rats (Fig. 6, Ref. 45).