Comparison of combined antioxidants and thymoquinone in the prevention of testis ischemia - reperfusion injury.

We aimed to compare the preventive effects of combined antioxidants (CA1, 2) with a single antioxidant drug (thymoquinone; TQ) on experimental testis Ischemia/Reperfusion (I/R) injury. Thirty-five adult male Wistar rats were divided into five groups of seven rats each: control, testis I/R, testis I/R + CA1, testis I/R + CA2, and testis I/R + TQ. After 1 h of testicular ischemia, reperfusion was achieved by detorsion for 4 h. Antioxidants were intraperitoneally administered for 30 min prior to reperfusion. All rats were sacrificed 4 h after reperfusion to evaluate the tissue levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and total antioxidant status (TAS) and the immunohistochemical evaluation of tissue inducible and endothelial nitric acid synthase (iNOS, eNOS) and apoptosis protease-activating factor 1 (APAF-1). MDA levels were lower and TAS values were higher in the I/R + antioxidant groups than in the I/R group (p < 0.05). iNOS and eNOS levels in the I/R + antioxidant groups were also lower than those in the I/R group (p < 0.05). There were no significant differences between the CA groups and the TQ group according to aforementioned parameters. In addition, tissue APAF-1 values were significantly higher in the I/R group than in the other groups. However, there was a significant difference between the TQ and CA groups in APAF-1 levels, which were highest in the TQ group (p < 0.05). Although TQ alone increased TAS values and reduced tissue iNOS and eNOS levels, combined antioxidant treatment may more effectively reduce apoptosis and increase preventive effects in testis I/R injury.

Effects of low sleep quality on sexual function, in women with fibromyalgia.

Sexual dysfunction is a common experience in women with fibromyalgia. However, the physiopathology of this association is unclear. We aimed to evaluate whether sleep disturbance has an influence on sexual function in women with fibromyalgia. Fifty-four sexually active premenopausal women with fibromyalgia were enrolled in the study. The following questionnaires were used: the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI), the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ) and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Appropriate statistical analyses were used by using SPSS 18. The mean FSFI score was 25.344 ± 6.52 and showed no correlation with age, body mass index, BDI or duration of fibromyalgia. However, a positive correlation between sexual dysfunction and low sleep quality was found (r=0.43; P=0.001). In addition, the median FSFI score was 29.2 (27.2-32.4) in patients with higher sleep quality (PSQI⩽5), whereas it was 21.4 (18.9-25.3) in patients with lower sleep quality (PSQI>5) (P<0.001). There was a positive correlation between sexual dysfunction and symptoms of fibromyalgia as indicated by a higher FIQ score (r=0.37; P=0.006). Sexual dysfunction in female patients with fibromyalgia may be due to low sleep quality. Treatment of the sleep disorder may improve female sexual function.

Can ischemia-modified albumin be used as an objective biomarker for renal ischemic damage? An experimental study with Wistar albino rats.

INTRODUCTION: This study sought to evaluate the correlation of ischemia-modified albumin (IMA) with time-dependent renal ischemic injury. METHODS: We established 5 groups of 8 Wistar albino rats as follows: sham, 10 minutes of renal ischemia, 20 minutes of renal ischemia, 30 minutes of renal ischemia, and 40 minutes of renal ischemia. Renal ischemia was established by occlusion of the right renal pedicle. Blood samples were obtained after exploration of the renal pedicle in the sham group and after thoracotomy and directly from the cardiac chambers at the end of the ischemic period in the other groups. The ischemic kidneys were removed for histopathological evaluation, and the rats were killed. RESULTS: There were significant differences among the IMA levels of the 5 groups (P = .0013). Pathological examination showed that renal ischemic injury corresponded to the duration of ischemia. In the group analysis, the pathological evaluation scores were significantly different among the groups (P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that IMA levels can be used as a nonselective biomarker for renal ischemic injury. However, further studies are needed to support our findings.