Effects of electroacupuncture at ST36 and BL20 on the diabetic rat testis.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to evaluate the effects of electroacupuncture (EA) at ST36 and BL20 on the testicular tissues in a rat model of diabetes and to explore the mechanisms of action. METHODS: A total of 34 male Sprague-Dawley rats were allocated to a control group (n = 10), diabetes (D) group (n = 12) or diabetes + acupuncture (DA) group (n = 12). To model diabetes, rats in groups D and DA received an intraperitoneal injection of a single dose of 35 mg/kg streptozotocin (STZ) dissolved in citrate buffer (pH = 4.5; 0.1 M) after 2 weeks of high-fat diet administration. Under xylazine/ketamine anesthesia, stainless steel needles (30 mm × 0.25 mm) were inserted bilaterally at ST36 and BL20. The needles were connected to an EA device via cables, and EA was applied for 30 min (15 Hz frequency and 0.2-1 mA intensity) twice a week for 5 weeks. RESULTS: The effects of EA at ST36 and BL20 on blood glucose levels and body weight, biochemical parameters, histopathological, morphometric and immunohistochemical findings, and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) analysis were evaluated. A significant decrease was detected in DA versus D groups in blood glucose levels, basement membrane thickness and apoptotic cell/tubule indices. In addition, there was a significant increase in the Johnsen scores, seminiferous tubule diameters, serum levels of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH) and testosterone, proliferation indices, and sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) and insulin-like peptide 3 (INSL3) immunoreactivities. CONCLUSION: EA had multiple positive effects on blood glucose homeostasis and testicular structure/function in this rat model of diabetes. EA may be effective at preventing or eliminating histopathological damage in the diabetic testis.

Accessory inferior thyroid artery and internal thoracic artery originating from the thyrocervical trunk.

During the routine dissection of an 86-year-old Caucasian male cadaver, an accessory inferior thyroid artery originating from the left suprascapular artery was detected. In addition to the existence of inferior and superior thyroid arteries, a third thyroid artery arising from the left suprascapular artery was present at the left of these arteries; this artery was determined as the accessory inferior thyroid artery. Again, the left internal thoracic artery arose from the thyrocervical trunk. The internal thoracic artery originated near the thyrocervical trunk's origin point and descended vertically. The thyrocervical trunk ended near the medial border of the anterior scalene muscle after giving rise to the inferior thyroid, transverse cervical and suprascapular arteries.

Investigation of the availability of tongue movements in Mallampati classification.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relation of Mallampati classification with a new alternative method suggested for use in the estimation of tongue movements. METHODS: This study was conducted in the Department of Anesthesiology, Faculty of Medicine, Trakya University, Edirne, Turkey from April to October 2009. Two hundred and thirty patients were enrolled in this study. The modified Mallampati score (MMS) was devised by an anesthetist. To define tongue movements, horizontal and vertical lines were utilized. Horizontal lines passing through the mid points of the upper lip and mandible, and vertical lines passing through the right and left infraorbital points were constituted on each subject. Subjects were asked to elevate, depress, and abduct (right-left) the tip of the tongue. The scores corresponding with the movements of the tongue were determined. RESULTS: Depression of the tip of the tongue (DTT) and elevation of the tip of the tongue (ETT) levels were significantly different between MMS 1, MMS 2, and MMS 3, MMS 4 groups (p=0.001). The risk of being MMS 3 or MMS 4 for the groups that cannot reach the borderline for the DTT or ETT are 5.5 times and 5.4 times higher consequently than the groups that can reach the borderline. CONCLUSION: This new method can be combined with MMS classification, which requires clinical experience and knowledge in predicting difficult intubation.