Can amniotic fluid protect developing fetal lungs against the harmful effects of oxidative stress?

BACKGROUND: Preterm births cause fetuses to be born without completing the development of their organs. Due to this undesirable situation, it is the pulmonary tissue which has to be most exposed to harmful effects of extrauterine environment. Early disappearance of the prophylactic and constructive effects of amniotic fluid (AF) on developing tissues, such as pulmonary tissue, facilitates the formation of pulmonary morbidities resulting from oxygen. Setting out from this knowledge, we wanted, in addition to assessing the beneficent effects of AF on pulmonary tissue, to study the importance of AF in morbidities of this tissue thought to originate from oxygen. METHODS: In this experimental study, while the study group was made up of the fetuses of pregnant rats exposed to hyperbaric oxygen, (hyperoxic pregnant rat fetuses-HPRF), the control group was formed of the fetuses of the rats pregnant in the usual room setting (normoxic pregnant rat fetuses-NPRF). The pulmonary and hepatic tissues taken from the fetuses of these pregnant rats on the 21st day of their pregnancy were compared biochemically and histologically. For biochemical assessment, total glutathione (tGSH), catalase (CAT), malondialdehyde (MDA), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) values and for histopathological assessment, apoptosis, alveolar wall count (AWC), vena centralis count (VCC) were included. RESULTS: Statistical significance was found in the pulmonary tissue values of tGSH on behalf of NPRF, and MDA on behalf of HPRF (p < 0.05). In liver tissue, statistical significance was detected in tGSH and CAT values in favor of NPRF and in MDA, and TNF-α values in favor of HPRF (p < 0.05). DISCUSSION: : Our study has demonstrated that AF protects the pulmonary tissue from the harmful effects of oxygen in the intrauterine period. In addition, our data have suggested that the pulmonary tissue's being deprived of the useful effects of AF owing to premature birth may be an important trigger in the occurrence of the pulmonary morbidities thought to result from oxygen.

Renoprotective Effect of Taxifolin in Paracetamol-Induced Nephrotoxicity: Emerging Evidence from an Animal Model.

BACKGROUND: Taxifolin (TXF) is a flavonoid found abundantly in citrus/onion. Encouraging results on its renoprotective effect have been reported in a limited number of drug-induced nephrotoxicity animal models. The present study aimed to evaluate for the first time the potential renoprotective effects of TXF in a paracetamol (PAR)-induced nephrotoxicity rat model. METHODS: Rats were divided into three equal groups (n = 6 animals per group). Group 1 (PAR group, PARG) received PAR diluted in normal saline by gavage (1000 mg/kg). Group 2 (TXF group, TXFG) received TXF diluted in normal saline by gavage (50 mg/kg) one hour after PAR administration. Group 3 (control group, CG) received normal saline. Twenty-four hours after PAR administration, all animals were sacrificed using high-dose anesthesia. Blood samples were collected and kidneys were removed. RESULTS: The serum blood urea nitrogen, creatinine levels and serum malondialdehyde levels were significantly increased in the PARG. The serum glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase and total glutathione levels were significantly higher in the TXFG. At the same time, the kidneys of the PARG animals demonstrated tubular epithelium swelling, distension and severe vacuolar degeneration. The kidneys of the TXFG animals showed mildly dilated/congested blood vessels. CONCLUSIONS: The TXF renoprotective effects are promising in preventing PAR-induced nephrotoxicity, mainly through antioxidant activity, and warrant further testing in future studies.

Can Bone-Specific Alkaline Phosphatase and Osteocalcine Levels Be Used to Determine the Age in Children?

BACKGROUND: Demand for age determination by medical methods from legal authorities is of critical importance, especially for people in pubertal age. We planned this study to evaluate the potential utility of biochemical methods in these applications. We aim to investigate whether alkaline phosphatase (ALP), bone-specific alkaline phosphatase (BALP), and osteocalcine can be used in the determination of age. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 146 children (85 girls, 61 boys) between the ages of 9 and 16 years participated in the study. Considering legally defined age limits, we did the age grouping at the following intervals: we formed 3 different subgroups, (1) 9 to 11 years age group, (2) 12 to 14 years age group, and (3) 15 to 16 years age group. As the physiological growth and development processes changed according to sex, all calculations were done separately for girls and boys. RESULTS: Our data indicate that ALP and BALP values for girls can be used for age determination with acceptable sensitivity and specificity. However, we could not observe such precise distinction for boys. Although BALP is claimed to be superior to ALP, we have not found any evidence to confirm this in our study. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides sex- and age-dependent cutoff values for ALP and BALP for the girl, which may be useful for age determination.

Influence of sleep quality on macula and retinal nerve fiber layer in caucasian healthy adolescents: A cross-sectional assessment with optical coherence tomography / Influência da qualidade do sono na mácula e na camada de fibras nervosas da retina de adolescentes caucasianos saudáveis: uma avaliação transversal por tomografia de coerência ótica

Abstract Objective: Poor sleep quality have affect on neuronal structure in central nervous system. We aimed to investigate the effects of sleep quality on the thickness of retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL), macula, and ganglion cell complex (GCC) obtained by optical coherence tomography (OCT) in healthy Caucasian adolescents. Methods: In this prospective cross-sectional study,100 healthy adolescents were evaluated for determining of sleep quality score by the Pittsburgh sleep quality index(PSQI) and were monitored for detection of sleep efficiency(%) by Sense Wear PRO3 Armband mobile monitor(SWA). The sleep quality is evaluated based on the PSQI score and PSQI ≤5 was defined as "good sleep", and a score >5 was defined as "poor sleep". All subjects were scanned by spectral-domain OCT for the thicknesses of RNFL, GCC, and macular subfields. Results: Thirty nine of the subjects (39%) have poor sleep quality while 61 of them (61%) have good sleep. Inner superior (P=0.017), inner nasal (P=0.007), inner inferior (P=0.025), outer nasal (P= 0.011), and outer inferior (P=0.007) segments of macular thicknesses in the subjects with poor sleep are significantly thicker than those of the subjects with good sleep, whereas average RNFL of the adolescents with poor sleep is significantly thinner (P=0.02). All these parameters and central macular thickness have significant correlations with sleep efficiency and PSQI score (P<0.05). Conclusion: Sleep quality may have effects on macula and the nerve fiber layer of retina in adolescents and poor sleep may be related to decrease in the thickness of retinal nerve fiber layer.

Resumo Objetivo: A má qualidade do sono afeta a estrutura neuronal do sistema nervoso central. O objetivo do presente estudo foi investigar os efeitos da qualidade do sono sobre a espessura da camada de fibras nervosas da retina (CFNR), a mácula e o complexo de células ganglionares (CCG) de adolescentes caucasianos saudáveis submetidos a tomografia de coerência ótica (TCO). Metodologia: O presente estudo transversal prospectivo avaliou 100 adolescentes saudáveis a fim de determinar o escore de qualidade do sono através do índice da qualidade do sono de Pittsburgh (PSQI); os participantes foram monitorados através do monitor móvel Sense Wear PRO3 Armband (SWA) a fim de detectar a eficiência do seu sono (%). A qualidade do sono foi avaliada com base no escore do PSQI; PSQI ≤ 5 foi definido como "sono de boa qualidade" e valores > 5 foram definidos como "sono de qualidade ruim". Todos os participantes foram submetidos a TCO no domínio espectral para avaliar a espessura dos subcampos CFNR, CCG e macular. Resultados: Trinta e nove participantes (39%) apresentaram sono de qualidade ruim, enquanto 61 (61%) apresentaram sono de boa qualidade. Os segmentos interno superior (P = 0,017), nasal interno (P = 0,007), inferior interno (P = 0,025), nasal externo (P = 0,011) e inferior externo (P = 0,007) de espessuras maculares dos indivíduos com sono de qualidade ruim foram significativamente mais espessos do que os de indivíduos com sono de boa qualidade, enquanto a CFNR média dos adolescentes com sono de qualidade ruim foi significativamente mais fina (P = 0,02). Todos esses parâmetros e a espessura macular central apresentaram correlações significativas com a eficiência do sono e com o escore do PSQI (P < 0,05). Conclusão: A qualidade do sono pode ter efeitos sobre a mácula e a camada de fibras nervosas da retina de adolescentes; além disso, o sono de qualidade ruim pode estar relacionado à diminuição da espessura da camada de fibras nervosas da retina.

The Frequency and Effective Factors of Exclusive Breastfeeding for the First Six Months in Babies Born in Erzincan Province in 2016.

OBJECTIVE: The World Health Organization emphasizes that it is essential that infants be fed only breast milk for the first six months. This study is designed to investigate the frequency of exclusive breastfeeding and the related factors during the first six months in infants born in 2016 in Erzincan province. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Our study is a cross-sectional study, and the study population consisted of 2166 babies born in 2016, and registered with the family physicians. The sample size was calculated as 635 with a 95% confidence interval and 3% error margin, assuming that the frequency of exclusive breastfeeding in first six months is 30%. The family physicians were randomly selected. Mothers included in the study were determined by random sampling method. The data were collected by interviewing the mothers individually, and then analyzed in the SPSS (IBM, SPSS Corp.; Armonk, NY, USA) 21.0 package program. RESULTS: In this study, the rate of infants who received only breast milk for the first six months was calculated as 45.7%. The average period of exclusive breastfeeding was 4.4±2.03 months. It was observed that the children of mothers with prenatal and postnatal education received only breast milk for longer time. Also, mothers who do not work, those who do not use tobacco after birth, and those without depression also fed their children with only breast milk for longer time. In pacifiers or bottle users, infants receiving other nutrients after birth had a lower rate of exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months. CONCLUSION: In our study, it has been observed that to increase the rate of exclusive breastfeeding, it is necessary to increase the education before and after the birth; to not use any other nutrients, pacifier, or bottle after delivery; and to spend adequate time with the baby.

Thiol-Disulfide Homeostasis, Serum Ferroxidase Activity, and Serum Ischemia Modified Albumin Levels in Childhood Iron Deficiency Anemia.

Aim: The aim is to compare the markers of oxidative stress in iron deficient children to that of non-anemic children. Method: Serum thiol-disulfide level, ferroxidase activity and ischemia-modified albumin (IMA) levels were compared between iron deficiency anemia (IDA) and non-anemic children. Results: A total of 117 children, 66 with IDA and 51 non-anemic children were included in the study. Disulfide, disulfide/native thiol, and disulfide/total thiol levels were significantly higher in the IDA group (p: 0.001). Serum ferroxidase levels were significantly lower in the IDA group (p: 0.04); but there was no significant difference between the two groups regarding serum IMA levels (p: 0.42). There was a weak negative correlation between disulfide and serum hemoglobin (p: 0.004), iron (p: 0.041), and ferritin (p: 0.023) levels while there was a weak positive correlation between ferroxidase activity and these parameters. Conclusion: There is an increased protein oxidation in children with IDA compared with non-anemic controls.

Thiol-Disulfide Homeostasis, Serum Ferroxidase Activity, and Serum Ischemia Modified Albumin Levels in Neonatal Jaundice.

AIM: Hyperbilirubinemia causes oxidative stress. METHOD: We evaluated three oxidative stress markers in hyperbilirubinemic neonates (native/total thiol levels, serum ferroxidase activity and ischemia modified albumin (IMA), comparing these levels to levels in a control group to determine which indicators were the most sensitive. RESULTS: Serum from 124 term infants (67 with pathologic jaundice and 57 controls) were evaluated. Native/total thiol ratio was significantly lower (p:0.021) while disulfide levels were significantly higher (p:0.001) in the jaundiced group. There was no significant difference in ferroxidase (p:0.603) or IMA (p:0.251) levels. CONCLUSION: Altered thiol/disulfide homeostasis in the favor of disulfide indicates augmented oxidative stress in jaundiced term infants. The lack of alteration in ferroxidase or IMA levels suggests these latter alterations take more time or more severe oxidative stress to become altered or are not as sensitive as the thiol/disulfide ratio to detect oxidative stress states.

Vitamin D supplementation does not improve plasma thiol/disulfide homeostasis.

BACKGROUND: Impairment of thiol/disulfide homeostasis, as well as vitamin D deficiency, are responsible for the pathophysiology of many acute and chronic diseases. This study examined the relationship between thiol/disulfide homeostasis and vitamin D level and supplementation. METHODS: A total of 203 healthy children were included in the study. The participants were divided into four groups according to 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) level: group 1, severe deficiency (<10 ng/mL); group 2, deficiency (10-20 ng/mL); group 3, insufficiency (20-30 ng/mL); and group 4, sufficiency (≥30 ng/mL). Furthermore, group 5 was defined as being on vitamin D supplementation. RESULT: Native thiol was lower in group 5 than in groups 2-4 (P = 0.003). Disulfide was higher in groups 1, 4 and 5 than groups 2 and 3 (P < 0.001). Total thiol was lower in group 5 than in group 4 (P = 0.032). The ratio of native thiol/total thiol was lower in groups 1 and 5 compared with groups 2 and 3, and in group 4 compared with group 3 (P < 0.001). The ratios of disulfide/total thiol and disulfide/native thiol were higher in groups 1 and 5 than in groups 2 and 3 whereas only the disulfide/total thiol ratio was higher in group 4 than in group 3 (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: In healthy children, severe deficiency of vitamin D causes impairment of thiol/disulfide homeostasis and increases protein oxidation, which cannot be reversed by external vitamin D supplementation.

The effect of rutin on cisplatin-induced oxidative cardiac damage in rats.

OBJECTIVE: Cisplatin is an anticancer drug used for treating childhood solid tumors. Symptoms related to cisplatin-induced cardiovascular adverse effects may be mild or severe. Rutin (vitamin P1) has many properties, including as antioxidant, anticancer, antidiabetic, antimicrobial, antiulcer, and tissue renewal properties. Therefore, we aimed to biochemically, histopathologically, and immunohistochemically demonstrate the effect of rutin on cisplatin-induced cardiotoxicity in rats. METHODS: The rats included in our study were divided into four groups: Healthy group (HE), 5-mg/kg cisplatin group (CP), 50 mg/kg rutin+5-mg/kg cisplatin (CR-50), 100-mg/kg rutin+5-mg/kg cisplatin (CR-100) group. RESULTS: CP group administered cisplatin had significantly increased blood, serum, and cardiac tissue malondialdehyde (MDA), interleukin 1 beta (IL-1ß), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), troponin I, creatine kinase (CK), and CK-MB levels compared to the HE group, whereas there was a significant decrease in the total glutathione (tGSH) levels. Rutin was observed to prevent the increase in MDA, IL-1ß, TNF-α, troponin I, CK, and CK-MB levels as well as prevent the decrease in tGSH levels more significantly when administered at a 100-mg/kg dose than at a 50-mg/kg dose. Histopathologically, cardiac necrosis, dilated/congested blood vessels, hemorrhage, polymorphonuclear leukocyte, edema, and cells with pyknotic nuclei were observed in the CP group. Rutin was shown to prevent cisplatin-induced cardiac damage more effectively when used at a100-mg/kg dose than at a 50-mg/kg dose. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that rutin is useful for preventing cisplatin-related cardiovascular damage.