Investigation of the protective effect of anzer propolis in cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury.

OBJECTIVE: Globally, stroke is the leading cause of disability and death. With the use of thrombolytic therapy, reperfusion injury, and its consequences came to the fore. We aimed to find out how anzer propolis, which can only be obtained in Turkey's Eastern Black Sea region, affected ischemia-reperfusion injury using biochemical and histological techniques. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 32 female Wistar albino rats were divided into 4 groups, including a control group. Three of the groups underwent 30 minutes of induced ischemia via clamping of the common carotid artery, followed by ischemia-reperfusion injury through the release of the clamp. One group received no treatment, another received oral administration of 100 mg/kg of anzer propolis one hour before surgery, and the third group received oral administration of 40 mg/kg of acetylsalicylic acid just before surgery. Histopathological examination assessed apoptosis and tissue necrosis, while serum and brain tissue were evaluated for levels of nerve growth factor (NGF), Interlokin 1ß (IL-1ß), Interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), total antioxidant capacity (TAS), and total oxidant capacity (TOS). RESULTS: Anzer propolis and acetylsalicylic acid significantly reduced hyperemia in vessels, vacuolization in neurons, glial cell infiltration, and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) positivity. The anzer propolis group had the highest NGF levels. The anzer propolis and acetylsalicylic acid groups had lower levels of TNF-a and IL-6 in the brain tissue than the ischemia-reperfusion group, while TAS levels were higher. CONCLUSIONS: The findings obtained in this study suggest that anzer propolis has a neuroprotective effect against ischemia-reperfusion injury and will have beneficial effects on neurodegeneration. We believe our findings will contribute to the clinical treatment of ischemia-reperfusion injury.

Arthroscopic Excision of Tendinous Giant Cell Tumors Causing Locking in the Knee Joint.

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY Non-osseous giant cell tumors are locally aggressive tumors arising around joints. They are commonly located around synovial joints such as wrist and knee and occasionally cause mechanical symptoms. MATERIAL AND METHODS This retrospective case series includes 7 patients operated due to intraarticular lesion. The mean age of the patients was 28.7 (range 22-37) years. Mean follow-up period was 12 months. RESULTS All patients underwent arthroscopic debridement. They were followed monthly with clinical examination and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was obtained at third month for all patients. Patients were contacted through phone call and evaluated with the WOMAC score retrospectively. No recurrence was detected in any patient. CONCLUSIONS Arthroscopic debridement is a safe surgical technique that may replace open surgery in the treatment of intraarticular tendinous giant cell tumors. Key words:tendinous giant cell tumor, arthroscopy, knee locking.

[Sealing of Femoral Tunnel with Autologous Bone Graft Decreases Blood Loss]. / Utesnení femorálního kanálu autologním kostním stepem snizuje krevní ztrátu.

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY Total knee arthroplasty is commonly used procedure with advanced stage arthritis which causes extensive blood loss intraoperatively and postoperatively. Purpose of this study is to show the effectiveness of sealing of femoral tunnel with bone grafting in preventing blood loss. MATERIAL AND METHODS 288 patients with primary bicompartmental knee arthroplasty who were operated in between April 2012 and June 2015 are retrospectively studied. Two groups are formed according to sealing of femoral tunnel with autologous bone graft or not. Group 1 was the plugged group with 192 patients and group 2 was the unplugged group with 96 patients. Operation time, arthrotomy method, anticoagulant therapy, postoperative care were similar in between two groups.'Independent sample t-test' is used to compare two groups as statistical method. RESULTS Postoperative lowest hemoglobin levels are higher in plugged group (p < 0.001). Drain outputs are much less than unplugged group (p < 0.001). There is no statistically significant difference between amount of given erythrocyte suspensions. DISCUSSION In the literature there are many attempts to reduce blood loss and allogenic blood transfusion. Some systemic or local usage of medical therapies, mechanical interventions such as cold application or intraoperative fibrin sealers are some of them. There are a few studies favoring usage of plugs and a few do not. Our findings showed less blood loss with usage of autologous bone grafting but did not significantly affect the blood transfusion amount. CONCLUSION Autologous bone grafting is a free to use, non-time consuming and an effective method to reduce blood loss. Key words: knee arthroplasty, plug, sealing of femoral tunnel, blood loss.

Supplementary dietary nitric oxide donor (sodium nitroprusside) or inhibitor (NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester) depressed growth performance and ovarian primordial and primary follicles in Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica) in a dose-dependent manner.

1. The aim of the study was to determine the effects of dietary supplementation with sodium nitroprusside (SNP), a nitric oxide (NO) exogenous donor, and N(G)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (l-NAME), a NO inhibitor, on growth performance, some biochemical parameters and ovarian primordial and primary follicles of quail. 2. A total of 480 Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica), one-day-old, including both males and females, were randomly allocated into one control group and 4 treatment groups each consisting of 96 birds. The control group was fed on the basal diet, whereas the experimental groups were fed on the basal diet supplemented with 50 mg SNP/kg, 200 mg SNP/kg, 50 mg L-NAME/kg or 200 mg L-NAME/kg. In the group receiving 200 mg SNP/kg, BW was lower on d 28 and d 42 compared to the control group and body weight gain (BWG) was lower between weeks 2 and 4 compared to the control group. In the same group, BWG and feed consumption were lower compared with the control group. 3. In the group receiving 200 mg L-NAME/kg, BW on d 42 and BWG were lower, whereas feed consumption and FCR was higher than in the control group. 4. In the groups supplemented with SNP at 50 and 200 mg/kg, serum total protein and albumin were higher than the control group; however, serum lipid profile, and liver and kidney enzymes were not affected by supplementation with SNP or l-NAME. 5. The numbers of ovarian primordial and primary follicles were greater in the group fed on the diet supplemented with 200 mg SNP/kg compared with the control group. Supplementation at 200 mg L-NAME/kg diet reduced the number of primary follicles compared to the controls, whereas the diameter of primordial and primary follicles increased. 6. In conclusion, supplementation with SNP and L-NAME depressed quail growth. Furthermore, the increase in NO following dietary supplementation with the NO-donor SNP delayed the growth process from primordial to primary and primary to secondary follicle transition in quail.

The effect of dietary L-arginine intake on the level of antibody titer, the relative organ weight and colon motility in broilers.

This study was carried out to determine the effect of L-arginine (L-Arg) levels in diet at the starter, grower and finisher phases on immune response, organ development, nitric oxide (NO) metabolism and colon motility in broilers. A total of 500 one-day-old Ross-308 broiler chickens of mixed sex were separated into one Arg-deficient group and four experimental groups. Each group was then divided into five subgroups of 20 birds each. Arginine deficient group for all phases was fed a basal diet which contained 10% less L-Arg than optimum Arg requirement recommended by the breeder. Experimental groups were fed a basal diet supplemented with L-Arg which was progressively 10% increased in groups. Thus, the diet contained 90, 100, 110, 120 and 130% of optimum Arg requirement for each phases in groups, respectively. The highest serum infectious bursal disease antibody titer (IBD) was observed in the experimental group which was fed the diet containing 110% L-Arg at grower phase (P < 0.05), whereas Newcastle disease antibody titer did not differ between groups. The relative weight of spleen increased in groups which were fed the diet containing 120 and 130% L-Arg at starter phase as compared to Arg-deficient group (P < 0.05). The group which was fed the diet containing 110% L-Arg showed highest relative weight of bursa Fabricii at grower (P < 0.05) and finisher (P < 0.01) phases. It was observed that serum nitric oxide (NO) concentration decreased in Arg-deficient group (P < 0.05). The amplitude of spontaneous colon contractility did not differ between groups at the end of all three phases. However, the frequency of spontaneous colon contractility in the Arg deficient group was higher at starter (P<0.05), grower (P < 0.01) and finisher (P < 0.05) phases. These results suggest that the supplementation of L-Arg at higher level than optimum Arg requirement in broiler diet has minimal effect on parameters investigated in the study. However, L-Arg-deficiency may negatively affect immune response and the motility of gastrointestinal system due to disruption of NO metabolism at three phases.

Chicken amyloid arthropathy: serum amyloid A, interleukin-1beta, interleukin-6, tumour necrosis factor-alpha and nitric oxide profile in acute phase (12th hour).

Acute phase response (APR) is part of the early defense system, which is triggered by different stimuli including, infection, trauma, stres, inflammation and neoplasia. The APR complex is a reaction which induces homeostasis and recovery. In this research, serum amyloid A (SAA), interlaukin (IL)-1beta, IL-6, tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) and nitric oxide (NO) levels were measured 12 hours following injection. For this purpose, Thirty-two 5 weeks old laying chicken were allocated into four groups and intra-articular injections of Freund's adjuvant were used to induce amylod arthropathy in Groups II, III and IV. Vitamin A in group II, and methylprednisolone in group IV were added to enhance and to reduce the severity of amyloidosis, respectively. At the end of the research, it was observed that TNF-alpha and NO increased significantly (P < 0.05) in vitamin A and methylprednisolone groups whereas SAA decreased significantly (P < 0.05) in all groups. It was also observed that IL-6 increased (P < 0.05) in vitamin A group and decreased in all other gorups however, IL-1beta decreased in vitamin A and methylprednisolone groups, while it was increased in the control group. The results of this study suggest that there is a positive correlation between serum TNF-alpha levels in acute and chronic phase in chickens with amyloid arthropathy.

Matrix metalloproteinase, vitamin A and methylprednisolone effects on experimentally induced amyloid arthropathy.

We evaluated the role of some matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) in enhancing the effect of vitamin A and the inhibiting effect of methylprednisolone on amyloid arthropathy in brown layer chicks. We used 100 one-day-old Isa brown layer chicks. The chicks were allocated to one of four groups as follows: negative control group (I), vitamin A group (II), positive control group (III) and methylprednisolone group (IV). Amyloid arthropathy was induced by injections of complete Freund's adjuvant into the left intertarsal joints of the chicks. Serum vitamin A and tissue MMP (MMP-1, MMP-2, MMP-9) levels were measured and differences among the groups were investigated. Serum vitamin A rates (µg/dl) were: 63.57 ± 4.10, 47.13 ± 10.62, 53.26 ± 10.79, 98.48 ± 8.20 in groups I, II, III and IV, respectively (p < 0.001). MMP-1, MMP-2 and MMP-9 levels were evaluated in tissues from the chickens with amyloid arthropathy. Methylprednisolone significantly suppressed the release of MMP-1 and MMP-2, and increased the release of MMP-9 in birds with amyloid arthropathy. In addition, vitamin A significantly increased the release of MMP-1, MMP-2 and MMP-9.

The effect of dietary supplementation of nitric oxide donor and inhibitor on nNOS expression in and motility of the small intestine of broilers.

We investigated the effect of dietary supplementation of sodium nitroprusside (SNP), a nitric oxide (NO) donor, and N-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME), a NO inhibitor, on neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) expression in and motility of small intestinum in broilers. A total of 560, one-day-old Ross 308 hybrid mixed sex broiler chicks were divided randomly into one control and seven treatment groups for a 42 day feeding trial including starter phase (0-21 days) and grower phase (22-42 days). The control group was fed a basal diet and the experimental groups were the fed basal diet supplemented with 25, 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg SNP and 25, 50 or 100 mg/kg L-NAME. Ten chickens from each group were sacrificed to collect samples on days 21 and 42. The expression patterns of nNOS immunoreactivity in nerve fibers were determined by immunohistochemistry. In the contractility studies, longitudinal isolated strips of duodenum, jejunum and ileum were treated with 10(-5) M L-arginine and 10(-4) M SNP. Immunohistochemistry revealed that nNOS expression was not detectable in the duodenum or ileum of either the control or experimental groups. On the other hand, nNOS immunoreactivity in the jejunum control group showed a strong reaction on day 21, but the reaction was weak on day 42. nNOS expression clearly was suppressed on day 21 by the diet supplemented with L-NAME, while the diet supplemented with SNP stimulated nNOS expression on day 21. Contractility experiments revealed that spontaneous contractility of isolated strips of duodenum, jejunum and ileum showed no significant difference among groups. Spontaneous contractions of all strips were inhibited by L-arginine and SNP in all groups. The percentage inhibition rate of spontaneous contractions of jejunum application on days 21 and 42 after L-arginine decreased in the group supplemented with 100 mg/kg L-NAME. The percentage inhibition rate on day 21 after SNP application decreased in both groups that received 50 and 100 mg/kg L-NAME. We demonstrated the expression pattern of nNOS in nerve fibers in jejunum of broiler chickens. Contractility studies revealed that the NOS-NO pathway may play a role in smooth muscle contraction of small intestine of chickens. Feeding strategies that supplement NO donor and NO inhibitor can be of physiological importance to small intestine motility owing to alteration of nNOS expression in the jejunum.

Acute-phase proteins, oxidative stress and enzyme activities of blood serum and peritoneal fluid in cattle with abomasal displacement.

BACKGROUND: Blood serum and peritoneal fluid acute-phase proteins, oxidative stress indicators, and some enzymes could be used for evaluation of abomasal tissue damage because of displacement in displaced abomasum (DA) cases. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to investigate the concentrations of acute-phase proteins, oxidative stress indicators, and activities of enzymes in blood serum and peritoneal fluid in cattle with right displaced abomasum (RDA) and left displaced abomasum (LDA) and in healthy cows. ANIMALS: A total of 60 Holstein Friesian cows in early lactation were used, 31 with left and 9 with right displaced abomasum without volvulus diagnosis and no other postpartum disease, and 20 healthy cows as a control. MATERIALS AND METHODS: DA diagnosis in dairy cows consisted of physical examination, laboratory, and specific DA tests. Acute-phase proteins, oxidative stress indicators, and enzyme activities were measured in blood serum and peritoneal fluid. RESULTS: In the RDA group, serum haptoglobin (HPG), serum amyloid A (SAA), malondialdehyde (MDA), adenosine deaminase (ADA), myeleperoxidase (MPO), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), creatine kinase (CK, creatine kinase-MB (CK-MB), and gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) activity increased significantly, and serum HPG, MDA, ADA, and AST concentrations increased significantly in the LDA group (P < .05). Peritoneal fluid HPG, MDA, ADA, MPO, ALP, GGT, and LDH concentrations increased significantly, whereas NO concentrations reduced significantly in the RDA group, and HPG, MDA, ADA, and TP concentrations increased significantly, whereas concentrations of NO reduced significantly in the LDA group (P < .05). CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: There are acute-phase responses, oxidative stress, and abomasal tissue damage because of displacement in DA cases. Especially, HPG, MDA, ADA, and MPO concentrations can provide specific information to help in understanding these changes.

Nitric oxide in the bovine oviduct: influence on contractile activity and nitric oxide synthase isoforms localization.

The oviducts of 64 Holstein cows in luteal (early I, early II and late) and follicular phases were evaluated to determine the protein expression and mRNA transcription of different nitric oxide synthase isoforms (eNOS, iNOS, nNOS) as well as the effect of nitric oxide (NO) on spontaneous contractility in vitro. The expression patterns of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) isoforms in isthmus and ampulla (n = 6 for each phase) were determined by immunohistochemistry, reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blot analysis. In the contractility studies, longitudinal and circular isolated strips of isthmus and ampulla (n = 10 for each phase) of oviducts located ipsilateral to the luteal structure or preovulatory follicle were treated as follows: a) L-arginine, an endogenous NO donor (10(-8) to 10(-3)m), b) N(ω)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME), a NOS inhibitor (10(-5)m) and L-arginine (10(-3)m), c) methylene blue (MB), an inhibitor of soluble guanylate (10(-5)m) and L-arginine (10(-3)m) and d) sodium nitroprusside (SNP), an exogenous NO donor (10(-8) to 10(-4)m). Immunohistochemical evaluation revealed that endothelial NOS (eNOS) expression detected in epithelial layer of isthmus and ampulla was strong in early I luteal phase, moderate in follicular phase and weak in other phases. Neuronal NOS (nNOS) immunoreactivity was strong in isthmus and moderate in ampulla, and staining of nerve fibers was observed mostly in early I luteal and follicular phases. All eNOS, nNOS and inducible NOS (iNOS) isoforms were detected by RT-PCR. eNOS and iNOS proteins were evident, whereas nNOS was undetectable by Western blot analysis in the tissue examined. L-arginine applied alone or after L-NAME did not alter or increase the contractile tension of the strips in most tissues examined. However, L-arginine applied after MB increased contractile tension in the strips of ampulla and longitudinal isthmus from early I luteal phase and circular isthmus from follicular phase but decreased it in isthmus from early II luteal phase. SNP differentially modulated oviductal contraction depending on the type of muscular strips and period examined. These results showed the estrous phase-dependent changes related to endogenous NO system which might be of physiological importance to the oviduct for secretory and ciliary functions involved in gametes and embryo(s) transportation.

Analgesic effects of skin-to-skin contact and breastfeeding in procedural pain in healthy term neonates.

OBJECTIVES: The effectiveness of skin-to-skin contact to decrease pain from heel-lancing in healthy term neonates and whether breastfeeding in addition to skin-to-skin contact provided a more effective analgesia than skin-to-skin contact alone were investigated. METHODS: A randomised, controlled trial was conducted in 107 neonates undergoing heel-lance. Infants were randomly assigned to three groups: (i) being breastfed with skin-to-skin contact (group 1, n=35), (ii) being held in their mother's arms with skin-to-skin contact but no breastfeeding (group 2, n=36), or (iii) lying on the table before, during and after painful stimulus (group 3, n=36). Physiological responses to pain were measured by heart rate and oxygen saturation changes and behavioural responses were measured by duration of crying and grimacing. RESULTS: Infants had a mean (SD) birthweight of 3355 (270) g and gestational age of 39.5 (0.6) weeks; at the time of the procedure, mean (SD) postnatal age was 33.1 (5) hours. There was no significant difference between the groups in clinical characteristics and time spent squeezing the heel. Heart rate, oxygen saturation changes and length of crying were significantly reduced in groups 1 and 2 compared with group 3 (p<0.001). No difference was found between group 1 and group 2. Grimacing was less in group 2 than in group 3 (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: In healthy term neonates, skin-to-skin contact with the mother and breastfeeding with skin-to-skin contact reduce both physiological and behavioural pain response. Breastfeeding in the 1st 2 postnatal days with skin-to-skin contact did not increase the analgesic effect of skin-to-skin contact alone.

A case of Seckel syndrome with Tetralogy of Fallot.

Seckel syndrome, also known as Harper's Syndrome and Virchow-Seckel-Syndrome, was first described by Seckel in 1960, and is a rare (<1:10,000 live births) autosomal recessive trait. The syndrome (OMIM 210600) is a form of primordial dwarfism, characterized by severe intrauterine growth restriction, postnatal dwarfism, severe microcephaly with variable mental retardation, facial anomalies and skeletal abnormalities. Cardiac anomalies have been described in only five case. We report a male newborn with typical findings of Seckel sydrome associated with Tetrology of Fallot. This is the first case reported in concomitance with Tetralogy of Fallot, and might be a new finding of the syndrome. We would like to emphasize that clinicians should perform diagnostic interventions for congenital cardiac defects in Seckel Syndrome.

The Wiedemann-Rautenstrauch or neonatal progeroid syndrome: report of a patient with hypospadias.

The Wiedemann-Rautenstrauch or neonatal progeroid syndrome: report of a patient with hypospadias: Wiedemann-Rautenstrauch syndrome is known as a neonatal progeroid syndrome, with only few published case reports. The syndrome is characterized by progeroid appearance (triangular old-looking face with relatively large skull, prominent veins especially of the scalp, sparse scalp hair, and large anterior fontanelle), decreased subcutaneous fat (giving the clinical appearance of prominent veins and muscles), hypotrichosis, macrocephaly, and natal teeth. We report a new additional patient with a new feature of the hypospadias, not previously described, to our knowledge.

The role of nitric oxide in the effects of ovarian steroids on spontaneous myometrial contractility in rats.

Forty ovariectomized rats were apportioned into one control and three experimental groups (n=10 each) to evaluate the role of nitric oxide in the effects of ovarian steroids on spontaneous myometrial contractility in rats. The control group (group Ov) received sesame oil once daily for 10 days, whereas rats in the experimental groups were treated with progesterone (2 mg/(rat day); group P), 17beta-estradiol (10 microg/(rat day); group E2), or progesterone and 17beta-estradiol together (group E2+P). The functionality of the arginine-nitric oxide synthase (NOS)-nitric oxide (NO) pathway in the uterine horns of sacrificed rats was evaluated in an isolated organ bath. L-Arginine, sodium nitroprusside (SNP) and 8-Br-cGMP decreased uterine contractile tension induced by electric field stimulation (EFS) in the Ov, P, and E2+P groups, but not in the E2 group. In addition, L-arginine was ineffective when applied together with a NOS inhibitor, L-nitro-N-arginine (L-NNA). The percentage of contractile inhibition was higher in the Ov and P groups compared to the E2+P group. Immunohistochemical evaluation revealed that expression of neuronal NOS (nNOS), inducible NOS (iNOS), and endothelial NOS (eNOS) in smooth muscles and nerve cells did not differ among the groups. Expression of nNOS and eNOS was strongly evident in the E2 and E2+P groups at both surface and glandular epithelium of the endometrium. iNOS expression was increased in surface epithelium of the E2 and E2+P groups. However, iNOS expression was only increased in glandular epithelial cells of the E2+P group. In conclusion, the L-arginine-NOS-NO pathway inhibits myometrial contractions via cGMP-dependent and -independent mechanisms, and while progesterone maintains the nitric oxide effects, estrogen prevents them. These results suggest that NOS does not mediate the effects of estrogen.

Female infant in Egypt: mortality and child care.

PIP: Deviation from the normative sex-pattern of infant deaths is so large in Egypt that nearly 1/3 of female deaths can be attributed to a sex-specific cause: lesser care of the female child. This article reports on child neglect which may account for the relatively lower survival rate of the female infant, despite its biological advantage over the male. This knowledge is seen as vital in planning interventions. The investigation answers 3 questions relating to the sex-specific factors of death among female infants: do girls display a poorer level of nutrition compared to boys? Is there evidence to show that sickness episodes of female infants are treated more carelessly than those of male infants? Are there reasons to believe that girls are more exposed to life-threatening psychological factors than are boys? A group of 598 families in low-income districts of Cairo was randomly chosen to receive regular monthly visits by a team of trained field invstigators over a 1-year period. The sample is thought to represent life in urban quarters of Egypt, described as pervasively rural in orientations despite urban occupations and living conditions. The study finds no significant sex difference in nutritional status until the 6th month of life. Around this period, 2/5 of the female group but 1/4 of the male show signs of malnutrition as measured by weight. The difference continues to increase and is very statistically significant by the end of the year. Nutritional status of female infants tended to decline with an addition of daughters in the family. Also, at birth orders 2 ot 5 and in large families of 4-5 children, the relative nutritional disadvantage of the female infant is statistically significant. Moreover, a very distinct sex-difference in dietary patterns is observed as no boy was deprived of supplementary feeding during the 2nd 1/2 of the year but only 1/15 girls received food other than breast milk during this period. Despite some evidence highly suggestive of lesser attention to health problems of female infants, the finding is not conclusively tested. Further research is recommended using more objective methods of studying parental behaviour in child sickness. With respect to psychological attitudes, the authors argue that "girl neglect" on the part of mothers is a reflex to the "boy preferance" displayed by fathrs. "Boy preferance" contributes to infant mortality and to increased fertility and should therefore be a common concern to both health and population planners. Finally, the authors argue for a change in attitude towards daughters which would promote sex equality in child care. A diversified and wide-reaching communication program for altering attitudes and behaviour could be based on relevant sayings from the Sunnah, a major source of Islamic ethics.^ieng