Short interdelivery interval in modern obstetrics: Maternal and neonatal outcomes.

Objective: To investigate the maternal, neonatal outcomes of the patients with short interdelivery interval (IDI) considering initial pregnancy outcomes. Materials and Methods: Women with two consecutive deliveries between 2016 and 2020 were included in the study. The maternal and neonatal outcomes of both pregnancies were reviewed. The time interval between consecutive deliveries was calculated. The patients were divided into two groups in terms of IDI either less or more than 24 months. Results: The number of patients with short IDI (≤24 months), and normal IDI was 1.915 and 1.370, respectively. About 15% of the women in both groups had at least one obstetric morbidity. The rates of uterine rupture, placenta previa, and peripartum hysterectomy were higher in women with short IDI. The number of patients with low birth weight, very low birth weight, and stillbirth was higher in the short IDI group. Conclusion: Patients with short interpregnancy intervals should be considered high-risk pregnancy. Adequate contraceptive methods should be used to prevent unintended pregnancies.

Turkish Validity and Reliability Study of Challenge-Hindrance Demands Scale for the Nursing Profession.

This study aims to adapt "the Challenge-Hindrance Demands Scale for Nursing Professional" developed by Mahaverachartkul and Sooraksa; regarding "how nurses who are under heavy workload and stress as well as intense and tiring working hours perceive many stressful situations in the working environment as challenges or hindrances" to Turkish language and bring it to the use of national literature. In terms of method, the research was designed within the scope of the quantitative research model. Data collected from 450 nurses were used in this study. The research data were analyzed in SPSS 26.0 and AMOS 24.0 statistical programs. The validity of the scales used in this study was evaluated with exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). According to the EFA findings of the Challenge Demands Scale, when the KMO value (0.919) and the Bartlett sphericity test value (X2 (78) = 4121.203; p=0.001) were examined, it was seen that the data were suitable for analysis. When the CFA findings of the Challenge Demands Scale were examined, it was seen that the fit indices were at an acceptable level (X2 (60) = 223.912; p=0.001; CMIN/df = 3.732; CFI = 0.960; TLI = 0.948; RMSEA = 0.078; SRMR = 0.039). According to the EFA findings of the Hindrance Demands Scale, when the KMO value (0.947) and the Bartlett sphericity test value (X2 (78) = 5263.056; p=0.001) were examined, it was seen that the data were suitable for analysis. When the CFA findings of the Hindrance Demands Scale were examined, it was seen that the fit indices were at an acceptable level (X2 (61) = 208.794; p=0.001; CMIN/df = 3.423; CFI = 0.972; TLI = 0.964; RMSEA = 0.073; SRMR = 0.032). In conclusion, the Challenge-Hindrance Demands Scale for Nursing Professionals with 13 items and four dimensions developed to measure the stress, hindrance, and challenge levels of nurses in their professional life in Turkey may be used in future studies.

Prophylactic effect of myricetin and apigenin against lipopolysaccharide-induced acute liver injury.

BACKGROUND: Liver has an important role in the initiation and progression of multiple organ failure that occurs in sepsis. Many natural active substances can be used to reduce the liver injury caused by sepsis. For this aim, the effects of myricetin and apigenin on mice model of acute liver injury was evaluated in this study. METHODS AND RESULTS: Thirty-six mice were randomly divided into six groups as; control, lipopolysaccharide (LPS) (5 mg/kg), LPS + myricetin (100 mg/kg), LPS + myricetin (200 mg/kg), LPS + apigenin (100 mg/kg), and LPS + apigenin (200 mg/kg) groups. Myricetin and apigenin were administered orally for 7 days, and LPS was administered intraperitoneally only on the 7th day of the study. 24 h after LPS application, all animals were sacrificed and serum biochemical parameters, histopathology and oxidative stress and inflammation markers of liver tissue were examined. Myricetin and apigenin pre-treatments increased serum albumin and total protein levels, liver GSH level and catalase and SOD activities and decreased serum ALT, AST, ALP, γ-GT, CRP, total and direct bilirubin levels, liver MPO activity, MDA, NOx, PGE2, TNF-α, IL-1ß, and IL-6 levels, iNOS and COX-2 mRNA levels, phosphorylation of NF-κB p65, IκB, and IKK proteins but not p38, ERK, and JNK proteins in LPS-treated mice. Myricetin and apigenin administration also regained the hepatic architecture disrupted during LPS application. CONCLUSION: Myricetin and apigenin pre-treatments led to reduction of liver injury indices and oxidative stress and inflammatory events and these flavonoids has probably hepatoprotective effects in acute liver injury.

Protective effect of myricetin, apigenin, and hesperidin pretreatments on cyclophosphamide-induced immunosuppression.

Aim: Major side effects of cyclophosphamide administration are immunosuppression and myelosuppression. The immunomodulatory effects of plant bioactive compounds on chemotherapy drug-induced immunosuppression may have significant effects in cancer treatment. For this reason, we investigated the immunomodulatory effect of myricetin, apigenin, and hesperidin in cyclophosphamide-induced immunosuppression in rats.Methods: In our study, a total of 64 rats were used, and divided into eight equal groups. These groups were: control, cyclophosphamide, cyclophosphamide + myricetin (100 mg/kg), cyclophosphamide + myricetin (200 mg/kg), cyclophosphamide + apigenin (100 mg/kg), cyclophosphamide + apigenin (200 mg/kg), cyclophosphamide + hesperidin (100 mg/kg), and cyclophosphamide + hesperidin (200 mg/kg). Myricetin, apigenin, and hesperidin pretreatments were performed for 14 d, while cyclophosphamide application (200 mg/kg) was performed only on the 4th day of the study. Levels of humoral antibody production, quantitative hemolysis, macrophage phagocytosis, splenic lymphocyte proliferation, and natural killer cell cytotoxicity were determined. In addition, we measured pro-inflammatory cytokines, and followed lipid peroxidation and antioxidant markers and examined the histology of bone marrow, liver and spleen in all groups.Results: During cyclophosphamide treatment, all three phytochemicals increased the levels of humoral antibody production, quantitative hemolysis, macrophage phagocytosis, splenic lymphocyte proliferation, antioxidant markers, and natural killer cell cytotoxicity. Moreover, the agents decreased the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines and mediators, reduced lipid peroxidation markers, and reduced tissue damage in liver, spleen, and bone marrow.Conclusion: Our study demonstrated that myricetin, apigenin, and hesperidin can reduce the immunosuppressive effect of cyclophosphamide by enhancing both innate and adaptive immune responses, and these compounds may be useful immunomodulatory agents during cancer chemotherapy.

Effects of mesenchymal stem cells and VEGF on liver regeneration following major resection.

PURPOSE: The study aims to determine the effects of mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) therapy and a combination therapy of MSCs transfected with vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) for liver regeneration after major resection. METHODS: Thirty-eight rats were divided into four groups: group 1: control (sham operation); group 2: control (70 % hepatic resection); group 3: 70 % hepatic resection + systemically transplanted MSCs; and group 4: 70 % hepatic resection + systemically transplanted MSCs transfected with the VEGF gene. MSCs were injected via the portal vein route in study groups 3 and 4. Expression levels of VEGF, fibroblast growth factor (FGF), platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), epidermal growth factor (EGF), transforming growth factor (TGF), hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), and augmenter of liver regeneration (ALR) were analyzed in the remnant liver tissue. We investigated the levels of angiogenic factors, VEGF-receptor, angiopoietin-1 (Angpt1) and Angpt2. Biochemical parameters of liver function in blood samples were measured and a histologic assessment of the livers was performed. The postoperative liver weight and volume of each rat were measured 14 days after surgery. RESULTS: The expression levels of all measured growth factors were significantly increased in groups 3 and 4 compared to the control groups. The levels of Angpt1 and Angpt2 correlated with levels of VEGF and thus were also significantly higher in the study groups. There were significant differences between the estimated liver weights and volumes of group 4 and the resected controls in group 2. With the exception of portal inflammation, levels of all histological parameters were observed to be higher in MSC-treated groups when compared with the resected controls in group 2. CONCLUSIONS: Transplanted stem cells and MSCs transfected with VEGF significantly accelerated many parameters of the healing process following major hepatic resection. After the injection of MSCs and VEGF-transfected MSCs into the portal vein following liver resection, they were engrafted in the liver. They increased bile duct and liver hepatocyte proliferation, and secreted many growth factors including HGF, TGFß, VEGF, PDGF, EGF, and FGF via paracrine effects. These effects support liver function, regeneration, and liver volume/weight.

Deficiency of selenium and zinc as a causative factor for idiopathic intractable epilepsy.

PURPOSE: The accumulation of free radicals may lead to seizures and increase the risk of their recurrence. Glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase are 2 major enzymes that are involved in antioxidative defense mechanisms. Selenium (Se), zinc (Zn), and copper (Cu) are important trace elements that participate in the structure of these enzymes. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the possible associations between trace elements and idiopathic intractable epilepsy (IIE) by comparing the levels of Se, Zn, and Cu between patients with IIE and healthy children. METHODS: Our study was designed as a case-control study with 70 IIE patients and 60 healthy children who were matched for age, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status. The levels of serum Se, Zn, and Cu were measured with an atomic absorption spectrophotometer. The results were statistically analyzed with SPSS version 16.0. KEY FINDINGS: We found that the patients with IIE had significantly decreased levels of serum Se and Zn compared to those of the control group (p<0.05). SIGNIFICANCE: We believe that this study presents the first reports of decreased levels of Se and Zn in patients with IIE. These results may provide new insights for delineating the etiological basis of IIE and its potential therapeutic options.